


Mad Dog

by goldenwatcher



Series: Avengers' Pack [1]
Category: The Avengers (2012)
Genre: Dominance/submission, F/M, Gen, Pack Hierarchy, Sexual Situations, Some descriptive violence, Werewolves, lycanthropy, minor Pepper/Tony, no FrostIron
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-01-30
Updated: 2013-02-22
Packaged: 2017-11-27 12:22:43
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 25
Words: 64,301
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/661955
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/goldenwatcher/pseuds/goldenwatcher
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Justin Hammer has come up with a way to turn Tony Stark into a monster and destroy the image of Iron Man once and for all.  He enlists Loki’s aid, but when  Chaos is around, shit happens, and both Loki and Tony become infected with a bioengineered virus: lycanthropy.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Part One

**Author's Note:**

> This is NOT FrostIron, although it flirts so dangerously close to that line sometimes that it’s best to avoid it if you’re not into slashiness. Also, not mine, don’t sue.
> 
> This is not betaed, so all mistake are mine. And, for the record, this shit is damn difficult to write.
> 
> Thanks to my Avengers!Bro Area for reading this and giving me input.

Loki did not care overly much for Tony Stark.

Of all of the Avengers, he was one of the more intriguing. Tony was clever for a human, with a racing mind and a lashing tongue to match. The armor he'd made was something the dwarven smiths of Svartalfheim would be keen to pour over, but the man's attachment to the lessers of his own species put the human and Loki at odds on the battlefield. He, with the rest of the Avengers, had been a thorn in Loki's side too often for them to share any sort of understanding, so it galled Loki for him to have to agree with Tony on anything. He was, however, forced to stand on Tony's side in this matter.

Loki, like Tony, did not favor Justin Hammer.

He'd heard rumors travelling in whispers through Midgard of how Hammer was trying to contact him. He hadn't initially known anything about the mortal, but his information had shown that Hammer and Tony were rivals. He hadn't been particularly impressed by that, but it was enough to stir his curiosity. He was hardly going to give a mortal the means to contact him, however. Instead, he'd arrived in Midgard clothing at what was supposed to be an impressive dining hall. Hammer was at a table, apparently showing-off to the other people dining with him. Loki walked into the hall and approached the table.

"Justin Hammer, I believe," he said smoothly, interrupting the thin blond.

Hammer looked up at him, stunned at Loki's presumption. "Not right now," he said, turning back to his guests.

Loki turned and looked at Hammer's companions, an older man with balding hair and his giddy wife, the female dripping with jewels and tittering vacuously. Loki favored her with a charming smile, making her giggle, then caught her eyes and held them. The smile never left his face, but hers did and she blanched. She grabbed her husband's arm, clutching it hard enough that her knuckles turned white, and whimpered when still Loki did not break his gaze.

The husband looked over at her, then up at Loki, face going red as he drew breath to verbally attack. Loki's eyes simply slid to his. It was seconds before he also paled and rose. He swallowed almost convulsively. "A-Another time." He turned and left, his wife almost pulling him out. Loki folded the edges of his coat close and calmly sat down in the chair the man had emptied.

"How about now?" he said calmly, his voice just as soft as before.

Hammer just stared in shock. He looked at the door where his companions had run off to, then back to the man sitting across from him, his own face going red with anger. "Who the hell are you?" he said, very close to losing his temper. "And what the hell do you think you're doing?"

"Loki," he said, casually folding his hands together on his lap as he crossed one ankle over a knee. "And I'm gracing you with my presence."

It took longer than it really should have for Hammer to sort all of that out in his mind. He still looked displeased, glancing around. "Hey, Loki! You're a hard man to get a hold of. This isn't really where I would have liked to meet you."

"And where would you have preferred?" he asked. "A clandestine meeting in an empty building or something as equally dramatic?"

"I have a business, and I have an appearance I have to keep up for it."

"If you do not intend to battle, then you should not take up arms."

Hammer looked at him for a moment, confused. "Is that some kind of outer-space proverb or something?"

Loki could practically see the mortal's brain cells dying. "I'm beginning to feel that indulging in my curiosity was a mistake. You should rectify that." His tone had not changed, but the patronizing indulgence was slowly growing cold.

"Hey," Hammer said, suddenly smiling as he raised his hands. "You're a prince, and this place is the best of the best. No wonder I'd see you here. Order anything you want. I can cover it." He waved over a waiter. "Anything my friend here wants."

Loki's smile was slow and beautiful. "My friend here will be covering the costs of the meals for everyone in this establishment tonight."

Hammer nearly jumped out of his seat. "Whoa, now. He's… he's kidding," he said to the waiter. "He's a kidder." He waved the guy away quickly then sat back, smoothing down his tie. "So, you're not hungry, I guess."

He arched one dark eyebrow, smile still intact. He hadn't moved from his composed position. "You said nothing of food."

Hammer put a hand up to his forehead, as if Loki was beginning to give him a headache. "Alright, I think we got off on the wrong foot here. We're on the same team, you and me. I'm on your side."

Loki's face remained a pleasant if imposing mask, understanding Hammer's words for what he really meant: he wanted Loki to be on his side, and in his pocket. "Our side of what, precisely?"

"Of what?" Hammer spread his hands enthusiastically, then leaned in. "Of Tony Stark, my friend. He has gotten in the way of both of us far more than he should be able to, and the two of us? We can show him what a very bad idea that is."

Loki's eyes glittered with pleasure. He leaned in, humoring his own curiosity. "I like the way you think," he said, watching as Hammer grinned at him. "What do you have in mind?"

"It won't be easy. Stark and his gang of super-friends are America's sweethearts. We can't just hurt him. We have to discredit him."

He was actually impressed that this mortal had even that meager level of insight. He could feel his mind dying just breathing this man's air. "How can we do that?" he asked, letting a hint of exasperation leak into his voice. "They are annoyingly diligent, and your world is ever so forgiving of Stark's less heroic tendencies."

"By making sure he's beyond any kind of redemption."

Loki leaned in a touch more. "How?" he murmured, cocking his head quizzically.

Hammer grinned again and shook his own head, leaning back. "No, no. That's not how it works. I have a plan, but I need to know that we're a team here."

"You want me to agree to do you a favor without knowing what that might be?" he countered, raising an eyebrow.

"What?" Hammer looked falsely insulted. "Loki… may I call you Loki? Loki, we're friends here. And I don't just use my friends for favors. I've got it all arranged. This is me helping you; a symbol of my esteem."

He wasn't sure if he wanted to laugh or feed the insolent mortal to one of Muspelheim's flaming hounds. "So, all I have to do is enjoy the show, I presume."

Hammer made a face. "Well, I've come across one tiny hiccup. It's nothing, but I was thinking that maybe you would know how to solve my problem. Everyone says you're a genius at these things."

Loki honestly wondered if the man had any idea what he was talking about. The references were so vague as to be beyond reasonable conversation. Of course, one could expect no less from a simpering man selling shadows. He let the question of favors slide for now, cocking his head. "It sounds as if you have this all planned out. I cannot see how I could be of any assistance."

"The trap is ready. Everything is set. The problem is that Stark doesn't trust me, a serious failing of his. He's an arrogant jackass that I intend to knock down a few pegs. Unfortunately, this means I can't get him where I need him. And that, my clever friend, is where you come in."

"You're going to use me as bait?" he asked, purposefully misunderstanding.

"No. You're going to lure him to the trap."

"But Stark doesn't trust me, either. How am I supposed to lure him when you cannot?" he asked. He was interested to see how the human reacted to the suggestion that he was better than a god.

Hammer hesitated for only a second, but Loki could see the man's estimation of him lower in equal measure to the rise in his own self-worth. Hammer obviously couldn't decide if Loki's reputation was overrated, or if he was just that damn good. The almost patronizing smile that Hammer gave him told him that it was a bit of both, but the latter was definitely winning out. "Hey. They say you're good, so it's gotta be true, right? The things I've heard you doing? This will be a cake walk compared to invading Manhattan."

"That all depends on where I have to lead him," Loki said, seeming not to notice Hammer's double meaning.

"A test facility in the desert. I own it, but it looks like a bunch of caves. There's a room that is set up for the trap. Easy."

"And I presume there is a back way out of the room?" he asked. "I'd rather not be locked in with an angry Stark."

"Get Stark into that room and he's going to be too busy to deal with you." Hammer leaned back.

Loki waved a hand in seeming negligence, mind working to pry the information he wanted out of Hammer. "I can deal with Stark if I need to. The entire team is a little more than I care to tangle with for a whimsical fancy."

"Whoa, now," Hammer said with a small snort. "What's this? It's not a whimsical fancy."

"A cage is going to discredit Stark?" Loki asked, raising an eyebrow. "If it were that easy, I'd have done it by now."

"It's not the cage, it's what's inside and, more importantly, what it's going to do to him."

Progress. "And what is it going to do? Spread idle gossip about him?"

Hammer leaned in again. "Let's just say," he said, his voice low and smug, "That people won't be nearly so happy having a monster watching their backs."

An icy resolution slid through Loki at Hammer's comment. His expression didn't even flicker. "Will it drive him mad with bloodlust and have him bathe in the blood of slaughtered innocents? I expect that is what it will probably take to have one of the saviors of New York transformed into a monster."

"No, Loki. You have this all wrong," Hammer said, nearly purring in his delight at showing off his brilliance. "I don't mean something figurative. I mean literally. You know about monsters, right?"

Loki's smile didn't reach his eyes. "Oh, yes. I'm familiar with them."

"I mean like that. An animal that kills with his bare hands, turns on his team without reason, unsafe and brutal. A creature that looks like a man, talks like a man, but deep inside is this violent, terrible monster and you never know when it will turn on you. The public won't trust that."

Oh, yes. They were going to get along splendidly. Nevertheless, he leaned in, cocking his head. "How can you do that?" he asked, the faintest touch of awe in his voice. "I've never heard of such a thing."

Hammer smirked, moving closer. If Loki wasn't sure that the mortal thought him a tool to be used, he'd worry the pathetic creature was going to kiss him. "Biochemical warfare," he said almost gleefully. When Loki widened his eyes as expected, Hammer chuckled darkly. "I have a bioengineered virus. When it infects him, it'll turn him inside out."

That had been easier than he'd expected, pulling the information from Hammer. He sat back, considering the man across from him. "Figuratively."

Hammer blinked. "What?"

"Figuratively turn him inside out. I certainly hope you don't mean literally, or he won't survive and that will hardly affect the shift in public affections that you're hoping for."

Hammer blinked. "No. I'm not literally- God," he said, sitting back. "Of course I'm not turning him inside out. That would be disgusting."

"But entertaining," Loki mused, eyes focused on Hammer as he considered his options carefully.

Loki did not like Justin Hammer. The mortal was asinine and pompous without the wit to know if he was being played. He appreciated the possibilities of manipulating the imbecile for future use, but the human frankly set his teeth on edge. For someone to be so absolutely artificial and think himself clever was a tragedy waiting to be eradicated. It wasn't a question of whether he was going to destroy Hammer, but of how he was going to most enjoy it.

"I like you, Justin. May I call you Justin?" he said, smiling slightly as he wove his web. "Your idea intrigues me. If you are ready to spring the trap as you say, when would I need to set it for?"

"How quickly do you think you can get Stark?" Hammer smirked.

"Tonight," he said, perfectly serious. Hammer seemed surprised. "Within the hour, if I could be so bothered."

"You're sure you're that good?" the man asked, sounding as if he hadn't decided if Loki was a blessing or a waste of his time.

"Absolutely." The smile that accompanied his affirmation was neutral and pleasant, giving nothing away.

Hammer considered. "Two days. Three in the afternoon."

"And where am I leading our tin lamb?" he asked.

"My facility. How about we go to my place and we can have a drink while I show you the maps?"

Loki wanted to sneer at the invitation. It sounded more like an appalling attempt at seduction than conspiracy. Still, he did need the location and it suited him to continue to let Hammer think he was in control. Loki smiled. "Of course. We can toast our forthcoming alliance."

"Alliance sounds like a corporate take-over. You and I, Loki? This is going to be the start of a beautiful friendship."

Loki just smiled.


	2. Part Two

Tony settled onto the landing pad at the top of the Avengers Tower. Everything had been quiet on the home front for an unnervingly long time. He'd heard updates from the others now and then, although information on Thor when he was in Asgard was sketchy at best. Loki had been seen a couple of times since the Battle for New York, but the demigod hadn't caused nearly the kind of trouble he had before. Regardless, Thor had followed, considering his little brother to be his responsibility. The rest of the team was far more accessible, having put in at least one appearance so he could show them the plans for their own floors in the tower and get their input. Clint had enjoyed that, but Natasha had been unimpressed. Steve and Bruce had seemed a little unsure at the amount money Tony was more than willing to spend for the place. They didn't understand why he would build something like that for them with his own money and resources, but it wasn't something he could easily explain.

Right then, however, he was alone at the tower. The rest of the team were scattered to the winds, and Pepper was still in Malibu while she handled some business. He started down the landing strip, calm as the suit was smoothly removed piece by piece. He entered the penthouse, the lights slowly coming up, and he went to the bar to pour himself a scotch as he tried to decide just which floor he felt like tinkering with tonight. Perhaps Thor's. He needed to play with the electrical insulation to prevent Thor from frying the entire tower every time he touched that hammer of his. He absently raised the glass to his lips as he considered materials to protect his tech from the Thunder God.

"Your hospitality is somewhat lacking, Stark."

Tony honestly wasn't sure if Loki was there to kill him or not. On the one hand, surprising him while he had a mouthful of scotch was a devious attempt, but the Asgardian made no move to finish the job while Tony attempted to clear his airways of the burning alcohol.

"Jarvis!" Tony choked, trying to squeeze out the word.

"Sir?" the AI responded.

"You'll have to excuse your disembodied familiar," Loki said amiably. "He's not aware of my presence." The God of Mischief was lazing across Tony's couch, looking far more comfortable than he ever wanted to see the man.

"How could he miss you?" Tony managed to wheeze. He tried clearing his throat again. "Leather and metal isn't exactly a part of the décor."

"I am not seen when I do not wish to be." Loki slowly sat up, coming gracefully to his feet.

"Sir, shall I alert SHIELD?" Jarvis finally asked. Apparently, Loki had only wanted to surprise Tony, not kill him, if Jarvis could now see him. Not yet, anyways.

"Not just yet." Tony was still hoarse from choking on the scotch, but at least his eyes had stopped watering. He gestured to Loki. "Drink?" When the god politely bowed his head in acceptance, Tony poured a second glass, thinking quickly. "So, to what do I owe this dubious pleasure? I'd appreciate it if the windows weren't involved. I just had them replaced."

Loki didn't smile as he took the glass. Tony could actually already smell alcohol on the Asgardian. "That is not my intention, but I do like to keep my options open."

Tony frowned at him. "Are you drunk?"

Loki took a drink from his glass, thoughts racing behind his intent gaze. "Of course not. I hardly think a bottle of Midgardian alcohol is enough to inebriate a god."

"A bottle? Of what?" he asked, curious.

Loki studied the liquor in his glass, as if unsure what he thought of its taste. "Champagne."

Loki drank a bottle of champagne? This didn't sound like something that was good for the Earth in general. "Celebrating anything?"

The taller man smirked, taking his glass to walk around the room. "Plying a foolish mortal for information."

"Anyone I know?" he asked, a sinking feeling in his belly. The only reason he could think of for Loki to come and gloat about getting someone drunk was if that someone was Pepper. If that was the case then Thor was going to permanently lose his brother.

"Justin Hammer."

Okay, not what he was expecting. "Say what?" he replied, surprised. "Why the hell would you be drinking with Justin Hammer for? Unless, of course, it's to my imminent demise, in which case you're here to talk me to death."

"The beginnings of a beautiful friendship," Loki replied dryly. He rolled his eyes, a surprisingly Midgardian gesture. "It is truly bewildering to hear that he is actually considered to be competition for you."

"Not that I'm not flattered, because obviously your high regard means everything to me, but why are you telling me this? If you and Hammer are going to start braiding each others' hair, I really, really don't want to know."

"Hammer has asked me to lead you into a trap." Loki looked out over Manhattan, his expression unreadable as he drank his scotch. "He has created a biochemical weapon that he wants to use on you in a secure facility."

That was really not what he was expecting Loki to say. "Biochemical weapon? Hammer Industries doesn't make weapons for biochemical warfare."

"Oh, but this one is special," Loki said, turning to look at him. "It was made just for you."

"What does it do?"

There was a strange twist of self-hatred in the curl of the god's lips. "Makes monsters."

"What, you mean, like you?" Tony asked, gesturing at the man with his glass. Loki just watched him, eyes intense as he took another sip of the drink. "I have a theory here," Tony started. "And correct me if I'm wrong, but I think you're telling me about the weapon as your way of setting up the trap. You tell me, I go in like a hero to save the day, and there I am, like a fly in a spider's web."

"That is an attractive possibility," Loki replied, nothing giving away his intentions.

"Except I'm not going up those parlor steps."

"You will," Loki said confidently. "One way or another."

The meaning wasn't exactly subtle. Loki was actually being almost cordial, extending an invitation so that Tony could prepare. He could just as easily set up a different kind of trap. "And what is this going to prove?"

"Prove?" Loki asked, turning to look out over the lights of Manhattan.

"You have a lot to prove," he said. "Prove yourself, your worth. Daddy didn't love you or some nonsense like that." There was tension in the Asgardian's body, although he didn't turn away from the window. "Everyone's life sucks in some way. Your attempts to destroy us are nothing more than the temper tantrums of an over-powered child."

"Are you sure you want to play this game with me, Anthony Stark?" Loki asked casually. If he was insulted by Tony's words, he hid it well. "Angering me will not cause me to change my plans."

"Then why?" Tony said. "Prove me wrong. Why team up with Hammer, of all people? Why dance to his tune?"

"It amuses me," he said simply. Loki drained his glass and put it along with a packet of papers on top of the bar. "You will do this. If you do not, I will have to find a different incentive to cajole you. Your friends might not appreciate that."

"Already aching for another beat down from the Avengers? I'm sure I can ask Banner to smack you around. He might even let you call him Daddy."

"I was not aware Miss Virginia Potts was an Avenger," Loki mused, turning a sidelong glance to the human.

Tony's fingers were white-knuckled on his glass. "You hurt anyone, and I will find you. No matter what you do or where you hide, I will find you."

Loki just smiled, walking out into the dark night and disappearing.


	3. Part Three

Tony had to give credit where it was due. When Loki wanted to keep a person informed, he was pretty damn useful on the information front. The packet contained the answer to almost every question Tony could possibly have about the job, from the layout of the facility and security details, all the way down to the schematics of the weapon itself. What wasn't on printouts, Loki had written out in concise, elegant writing. The only information he hadn't provided was the exact nature of what the weapon did. He merely noted that it turned the individual into a monster, but not the hows, whys, or what the fucks.

Tony had, of course, brought the situation before all of the Avengers. It had eventually been decided that they were all going to go in. Tony hadn't actually been sure he'd need the help, but he wasn't confident that any of this was Loki telling the truth. He was aware that this could be the very way Loki guided him into the trap he'd agreed upon with Hammer. But the mention of what the weapon did had set Bruce's mouth into a grim line and he insisted that he needed to be there to make sure nothing went wrong. Steve wouldn't let him go in alone, since he couldn't Hulk out and still work on the device, and Thor wanted to be included since his brother was involved. Natasha and Clint kind of just shrugged and went along to keep their team members alive.

Since they weren't entirely sure what the weapon did, Tony and Thor were the only ones moving through the lower caverns of the facility toward the room Loki had pointed out was ground zero for the trap. Tony needed to be there to spring the trap and his suit was airtight when it didn't have holes in it so no risk of contamination, and Thor was the only other person on the team that they were almost completely confident could not be affected by whatever was in the weapon. Everyone else was making their way to the main control room above ground to stop the activation of the weapon and to find out what exactly it did.

The halls were strangely empty as they moved through, security light. They had expected as much from Loki's information, but it was still strange for a weapons facility. Apparently, Hammer didn't want to risk them not making it. "The room should be just ahead," Tony said after another encounter with two rookie guards.

~~~

"What are they doing?" Hammer asked, looking into the monitors. He glanced back at Loki, the god sitting in a chair next to the consol that operated the weapon. The technician looked incredibly uncomfortable, his cheeks hot from either anger or embarrassment at whatever the Asgardian occasionally whispered into his ear. "What is it you said to them? What is the trap?"

"Does it matter?" Loki asked, not even looking at Hammer. "They are going to the room, as you wanted them to." His eyes were flicking across the screens, taking in Tony and Thor's progress as well as what the technician did on the screen.

Hammer looked back at the monitors and scowled slightly. He didn't seem like he could decide if this was a good or a bad thing. "I just… this is not what I expected."

"Is it interfering?" Loki asked him.

"No. I mean, it'll still work-"

"Then perhaps you should not be so concerned." Something interesting caught his attention on the technician's screen and he leaned in, murmuring a particularly salacious comment into the young human's ear. The man squirmed in an earnest desire to get away, but he was stuck at his station and Loki's comments and suggestions were definitely getting to the mortal. Loki barely cared. As his silver tongue worked its magic, he read over the information on the screen, the technician too distracted to continue just yet.

They were taking readings of Mjolnir. He couldn't tell exactly what they were looking for, but that they were doing it at all gave him pause. There were no other readings being taken, and nothing Hammer had said included anything about Mjolnir. Loki leaned slightly closer to the tech, his breath brushing against the soft skin behind the man's jaw. "What is that in the corner?" he murmured as Hammer once again went about giving ludicrous orders.

The tech swallowed convulsively. "Level monitor."

"Level of what, precisely?"

He glanced at Loki out of the corner of his eyes, obviously unsure if he should discuss it but not wanting to goad the Asgardian. Loki moved closer, putting his mouth close enough to the man's ear that his lips brushed the fragile shell, hot breath gusting into it. "Tell me," he purred.

The technician's eyes nearly fell closed before he snapped them back open, the faintest tremors starting to shake his frame. "The… the hammer," he whispered. "It radiates energy that is needed to activate the chemical compound. Otherwise, it's harmless."

"But it's not at level," Loki murmured.

"When they are locked in the room, Mr. Hammer thinks the Asgardian will use the hammer to try and break free. That will spike the levels high enough to activate the virus."

"And what does Mr. Hammer think will happen to the hammer?"

The tech swallowed. "He doesn't seem to know."

Loki looked at the screen, no longer interested in prying information from the trembling mortal. He had the sudden, uneasy feeling that he was being played. He did not believe he had underestimated Hammer, but if the virus needed Mjolnir's power to activate, it meant that Hammer had depended on Thor being there all along. The idea that Hammer had tricked him confused and angered him. He wanted to scoff at the possibility, but had to put aside his ire to focus on the problem at hand.

Mjolnir could activate the virus; activate how? Perhaps to charge the power of the virus in a mortal that does not have power. But that would actually require removing the power from Mjolnir. This did not sit well with Loki. He had no fondness for Thor or the hammer at his side, but Thor was his to destroy, and he was not well pleased at the possibility that he'd been played.

Loki's eyes slid to Tony. The Iron Man. A blazing phoenix forged from destruction. A part of him longed to see Tony Stark burn, to find just the right fire that the armor smith could not use to temper the iron in his being. That he should fall so low and rise time and again left a bitter taste in Loki's mouth. However, there was beginning to be far too many unanswered questions in Justin Hammer's plan. He might have let the virus infect Stark, but he didn't want it eating at Mjolnir before he knew how or why. 

He was going to have some very sharp words with Hammer when this was all finished. He did not like feeling as if he'd been out-maneuvered, particularly since there should have been no way for Hammer to know that Thor would be the one accompanying Tony.

Loki rose from his seat. "I'm going to go hurry things along, I believe. The longer this takes, the greater the likelihood of the rest of the Avengers showing." He actually expected the rest of them to show in the control room soon. He was fairly sure that a virus that turns one into a monster would be the type of thing the doctor would be interested in looking at.

Hammer watched him go. "Hey, wait. What…" He cocked his head when Loki left then snorted.

~~~

Loki caught up with them as they reached the room with the weapon. He stalked up to them slowly. "Well, well. What is this? A couple of laboratory rats trapped in a maze."

Tony was in the doorway to the room looking around, Thor watching their backs. When Loki made his presence known, Thor moved out of the door, giving both he and Tony room to fight. "Brother. What is the meaning of all of this?"

Loki didn't pause, walking right up between them. "You're taking too long," he said calmly. "I could have found Ms. Potts and have had her ready to present to you by now."

Tony wanted to growl, but Thor was watching Loki suspiciously, and it wasn't hard to see why: Loki had moved between them. Allowing oneself to be flanked by the enemy was probably the most stupid thing a person in a fight could do. At these close quarters, Tony wouldn't have to do anything. Thor could simply make Loki paste with his hammer. So why was the trickster doing it?

"Are you in a hurry?" Tony asked casually. "Do you have a date or something?"

Loki glanced over his shoulder at Tony. Suddenly, he twisted, and the next thing Tony knew, he was flying into the room. He used his repulsors to stop himself from hitting the wall and looked. Loki and Thor were squaring off outside of the room. Loki had isolated him. But then, why wasn't the door coming down?

~~~

"What the hell is he doing?" Hammer exclaimed. He ran a hand through his hair. "What is he doing? Is he trying to screw this up? Somebody, please tell me what he's doing."

"Do you want me to initiate, sir?" the technician Loki had been assaulting asked.

"No, you idiot. We need Thor in the room too. Locking Stark in alone won't do us any good."

He watched on the monitors, rubbing his face, and then looked at his security officer. "Get troops down there and get Thor into the room. Take Loki out if you have to."

~~~

"Brother, what is the meaning of this?" Thor said, body light and ready to move in case Loki lashed out again.

Loki, for his part, just paced lightly before the door. Beyond him, Tony was starting to look around. The room was bare: Four walls, vents, no furniture to be found and definitely no weapon, but if it was a trap, then why wasn't he being locked inside.

"Guys," he said into his communicator. "There isn't a weapon in here. Loki tricked us."

"We're almost to the control room," Steve responded.

Gunfire startled Tony, making him turn to the door. Both Thor and Loki moved to the sides, Loki ducking to hide behind the door frame, and Thor further into the exterior hall. It left him open to the shots from down the hall, a couple hitting him. Tony raised a hand to give his companions some cover, but the door suddenly slid shut.


	4. Part Four

Both Tony and Loki blinked for a long moment. Loki rose slowly, walking to the windowless door and touching it with just the tips of his fingers. He narrowed his eyes a moment, then he suddenly spit venomous words in a language Tony didn't know. It wasn't hard to guess that they were explicatives.

"Sir," Jarvis' voice came over the line. "One of the shots clipped the weaker joint in the shoulder."

"Tell me something I don't know, Jarvis."

"The suit can no longer maintain a seal against environmental hazards."

Tony paused. If the weapon was activated, he was vulnerable. Great. "Mind telling me what's going on?" Tony said to Loki, getting pissed off. "Last I checked, shoving me into the room wasn't part of the plan."

"The virus needs a power source to feed upon," Loki said, turning from the door. "Justin Hammer was going to use Mjolnir as that source. I had to stop Thor from entering the room. He seems to think I make an acceptable substitute."

"Well, duh," Tony replied. "It's a magic hammer. You're a magic douche bag. Magic is magic."

Loki narrowed his eyes at Tony. He didn't seem to know what a douche bag was, which was just as well, but he understood the insult behind it. "Mjolnir, when used, is active magic. I have not used my magic, and I am not required to in here. Until I use do, the virus has nothing to eat."

"I don't recommend using your magic then."

Loki rolled his eyes as Tony moved over to the door, studying the mechanisms to see if he could get it to open. The HUD flickered, going over all of parameters of the door. "Jarvis, do you see anything I can use?"

"Yes, sir, but the room is sealed and the virus is already spreading into it. If you open the door, you stand the risk of spreading the contamination."

Tony cursed, stepping back from the door. "Can you tell me more about the virus?"

"It is already entering your system, sir," Jarvis replied calmly.

Tony blinked. "Loki said it wasn't active. Is it eating some magic from him?"

"I cannot read levels of active magic. I also cannot read the effects of the virus on your system."

"Perfect. Cap? A little help here?"

Loki was staring at him, arms crossed. He looked unimpressed with Tony's silent communications, since he couldn't hear him talking inside the suit. He looked up as Bruce's voice came up over the speakers. "We've shut off the flow of the contaminant and are working to figure out how to get you out of there without it spreading."

"Loki said it wouldn't activate without magic," Tony replied out loud.

"Well, I don't know what to tell you, because the sensors are reading active magic on Loki that is slowly growing weaker."

Tony looked at Loki. The Asgardian was silent, one finger absently rubbing against his cheek as he thought. Tony could see the exact moment when Loki realized what the spell was. He stiffened, finger freezing against his face. He lowered his arms, glancing briefly at his hands as if he was expecting to see something, and then began pacing like a caged panther.

"You want to tell me what the spell it's feeding off of is?" Tony asked him. Loki's eyes met his. He was sure the sorcerer was visualizing what it would be like to flay him alive. "I take it that's a no."

"It might be useful to know," Bruce said over the speakers. "Hammer's technicians are saying that the virus is a lot more aggressive than they anticipated. It might have something to do with the nature of the spell it's feeding on."

Loki's eyes turned up to the camera in the corner of the room, his mouth thinned in anger. Tony could see his eyes flick around the room, taking in every detail. Tony really hoped the sorcerer wasn't going to try to break out. "Shifted shape," he said unexpectedly.

Tony raised his faceplate. Hell, it wasn't doing him any good anyways. "Excuse me?"

"As I understand it, it's a form-altering spell," he said stiffly.

"As you understand it?" Tony said, a bit stunned. "Really? You have an active spell on you that you're not familiar with and it changes your form?" He looked Loki over from head to toe. "What do you really look like?"

"Sir, readings indicate a rapid temperature drop in the room," Jarvis said as Tony's skin started to prickle.

Startled, Tony's eyes flicked up to Loki's face. The other man's expression was twisted with rage, fingers curled like he wanted to rip Tony apart. What really alarmed him, though, was that the Asgardian's normally green eyes were now a deep, bloody red, not a hint of the whites to be seen.

Tony snapped the faceplate back on. "Me and my big mouth," he muttered, raising his hands. "Back off, Loki."

Loki glared at him, lips curling slightly into the shadow of a snarl even as he took deep, calming breaths. "I do not think I'm the one who should be backing off, Stark."

"Loki, you need to calm down," Bruce said. "Your anger is raising the levels of magic in the room, giving the virus more to feed on."

"I am absolutely in control of myself and my power," Loki replied, words cutting. "Far more than I can suggest of you, Dr. Banner."

"Your control is slipping, Loki," Tony pointed out.

"This is not a slip of control. This is humoring my desire to peel you out of that metal armor."

"My, Grandma, what red eyes you have."

Loki froze, staring. He closed his eyes, the fury sliding out of his face as he took another deep breath. It was like watching a bird settle its feathers. The tension leaked away from his body, the palpable anger that had seemed to radiate off of him gently being snuffed out. When Loki opened his eyes again, they were hard but green.

"How much longer, Dr. Banner?" Loki asked, words clipped but precise and calm.

"Um… that actually helped a lot. It should only take a few more moments."

"What did you do?" Tony asked, a little curious. He couldn't see it exactly, but there was a change there.

Loki glanced at him. "Silenced the magic," he said, turning away.

"Okay, but what does that mean?"

"You expect me to explain it?"

Tony pulled off the helmet entirely, looking at him. "Yeah. We have nothing better to do."

Loki looked him over with consideration, so Tony returned the favor. The Asgardian looked collected again, but there was the faintest tremor in his hands that showed how difficult whatever he was doing was. As Tony watched, one tremor resulted in a faint flicker of what looked like spreading shadows, but then everything was normal again.

Loki turned away, walking slowly around the room. "It is a tendency of the strong to hold their greatest quality in an aura about them, like a cloak."

"Sure. Like Fury's power to be astonishingly irritating or Cap's good-ole-boy attitude. It's something they just are."

"One can pull that in, pull the quality inside until it is contained in the flesh, even more if you want to be less noticeable or smaller." Loki shrugged. "That's what I did. I pulled the power inside until it rests inside my skin."

"Alright." Steve's voice came over the speakers. "Banner has decontaminated the room. SHIELD agents are outside to take you into quarantine. Loki…. Wait, where is Loki?"

Tony had no idea. He'd been watching the sorcerer, eyes on him as he took in the small explanation of magic and its energy. When Steve had spoken, Loki had glanced up, and then disappeared. "Jarvis?"

"Loki Laufeyson no longer appears to be in the room."

Fantastic.


	5. Part Five

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This section contains some disturbing and graphic descriptions of pain. Also, major B.S. on the science front.

Tony was taken to a secured facility, the suit removed and decontaminated. The virus had, indeed, settled into Tony's system, but so far, they hadn't been able to determine what it did. It didn't seem to be killing any of his cells so much as bonding with his DNA. That worried both Bruce and Tony immensely. The doctor was spending a ridiculous amount of time studying both Tony and what notes he'd managed to retrieve from Hammer's facility. Tony was locked up while they studied him. The others were assigned to finding Loki.

Fury, of course, lived up to his name when he found out that the Asgardian had used yet another unknown power to teleport out of the room. No one was worried that Loki might have actually caught the virus. They were more afraid that he could be a Typhoid Mary, passing it to anyone he encountered without being infected himself. It was unlikely, since Tony himself didn't seem infectious, but it was a chance they didn't want to take with the public.

So Tony got to play lab rat while Bruce studied him and the others hunted futilely for their missing sorcerer. All in all, it was intensely frustrating and boring. The room Tony was in had a private bathroom, but the rest of it was under the watchful eyes of cameras. He hated feeling enclosed, trapped in the four walls with no way out. Fortunately, they tried very hard to make sure the room was open and well-lit, so that Tony wouldn't panic, remembering his time as a hostage. At first, he was just bored. Bruce would talk to him on the speakers, telling him what he saw and they were going back and forth, chewing some ideas over. Eventually, he was given a tablet to work on to help out. He'd only been in there a day before it couldn't hold his attention any more.

More often than not, Tony was up and pacing around the room. He was in light, white hospital linens, something that could be manipulated for easy access to his body. He'd acted quite shocked when Bruce had insisted on that, making the doctor shake his head in amusement. Now, he appreciated the gesture. The room felt hot, the band on his arm monitoring his vitals tight and uncomfortable, and the familiar circle of the arc reactor itching and painful. He'd ignored it all at first, but as time went on, it became more and more difficult. He asked probably every hour about the temperature in the room, but it was always the same. At his request, Bruce had even consented to lower it slightly, but the band showed his internal temperature to be slowly rising. The strangest part was that the virus never seemed to change, attaching itself to all cells, so they couldn't tell what specifically was triggering the reaction.

He couldn't sleep. Not that he ever slept much to begin with, but it was worse now. He was too hot to lay still, then too itchy, and then he would find himself unconsciously scratching at his skin. He fell asleep for a few moments just to be awoken by Bruce in a haz-mat suit. Apparently, he'd been digging at the reactor hard enough to draw blood. It slowly progressed to other areas of his body, unconsciously scratching, ripping at the skin. It was like his body was attacking itself, everything raw and uncomfortable. He felt starved and thirsty and tired but antsy and so very itchy that he wanted to rip off his own skin just to make it stop. The virus, whatever it was, was slowly trying to drive him mad.

He lost track of the hours and the days, a burning starting in his chest. It was just uncomfortable at first, but he could ignore it. As the minutes slid to hours, the pain grew worse. The scratching ended, the itching forgotten in the face of the growing agony. He soon forgot his agitation, his hunger, and his thirst. As the pain grew, his words lessened until there was nothing he could do but lay on the bed and writhe, his moans sliding into helpless whines. One by one the others, unsuccessful in their hunt for Loki, drifted in to watch in horror as their teammate suffered from his unnamed malady.

Bruce was beside himself. Fury had tried to coax him away, but the Other Guy had nearly made an appearance at that suggestion so they left him alone. When Tony had started clawing in earnest at his chest and throat, Bruce and Thor had gone into the room and bound him in a straight jacket.

Four days after infection at the facility, Tony had started screaming, the sound high and blood-curdling. They sounded like the cries of a dying animal being ripped apart. Some of them had tears in their eyes, some of them had flinched, but none of the Avengers looked away from the suffering of their comrade. They watched in stony silence, helpless to do anything for him. Then, not long after the screaming started, the sound was cut off. Steve nearly lunged, determined not to watch Tony die, but he wasn't gone yet. He was actually gagging, choking on something, his body convulsing as he struggled. They all stood, one by one, then a bright blossom of blood spat from Tony's mouth. Steve's eyes widened. "Open the door," he said, determined.

Bruce shook his head. "I can't," he said quietly. "I can't risk this spreading."

"He's dying!"

"You don't think I know that?" he snapped. He took a deep breath, rubbing his face. "Opening the door could condemn everyone in this building to the same death."

Before them, Tony's body turned and he choked and retched, blood flowing from his mouth.

"What is happening to him?" Clint said, his voice quiet. He looked a bit pale.

"I still don't know. I don't… the virus bonded to his DNA, all of his DNA. It didn't attack any one cell. Everything was compromised. I thought he would recover; his vitals were getting better, better than they were to begin with, in fact, but…" Bruce swallowed.

Suddenly, Tony took a deep, wet gasp. He lay against the bed, panting heavily from exertion. His face and the area around him was a bloody mess, but he seemed to actually be breathing correctly again.

Bruce blinked. He stared a moment, then started calling up information. He looked shocked.

"What is it?" Steve asked.

"He's… he's fine," Bruce said, voice disbelieving. "His heart rate is slowly lowering, as is his blood pressure. His temperature is higher than I like, but it doesn't seem to be distressing him. Everything is settling down."

"What?" Clint asked as Natasha looked over sharply.

"Are you sure?" she said, looking over his shoulder. "It's not likely that a man will vomit blood and be fine moments later."

"That's what the readings are saying."

"I'm suiting up," Steve said. "I want to check on him."

"I'll go with you," Bruce replied. As he slid up, Natasha sat down and watched. She wasn't a doctor, but she could understand the vitals, and Bruce was right; Tony was slowly getting better.

It didn't take long for Steve and Bruce to dress up in their little suits to go into the room. By the time they were stepping inside, Tony's panting had slowed a bit. He opened one eye, and then closed it. "Hey," he breathed.

"Hey," Steve said, going over to sit next to him. He brushed Tony's sweat-dampened bangs out of his face. "How do you feel?"

"Oh, you know," he said, still panting a bit. "Been better. You look like a fashion disaster."

Steve smiled in relief. "Trying out a new style."

"Ditch it. Skin-tight flags are a much better look on you."

Steve let Bruce start asking questions. He looked down at the blood and frowned slightly. He crouched and poked something small in the blood. When he realized what he was looking at, his eyes widened.

"Bruce," he said in shock, and was surprised to hear his own name said in unison. Looking up, he saw Bruce clicking off a flashlight, looking in surprise at Tony's face.

"What?" Tony said. "They're eyes, Banner. What could be so shocking?" He turned to look at Steve, and Steve suddenly knew why. Circling around Tony's pupils was a ring of gold that bled out into the brown of his irises. It wasn't a blend of color so much as a separate ring with lightening streaks of gold spearing the coffee color of the rest.

"Your eyes are a different color," he said, sounding a little hollow.

Tony blinked at him. He tried to push himself up and found himself instead bound tightly in a straightjacket. A soft, frustrated growl trickled from his lips. "Viruses don't change eye colors. Why am I in a straightjacket?"

"You were tearing at your skin," Bruce said. He moved down by Steve to look at what he had found.

"Alright. Why am I still in a straightjacket?"

"Stark," Bruce said softly. He used a pair of tweezers to pick up the bits of blood-coated metal and lifted them.

Tony stared at the small shard of metal and blinked. "Is that what I think it is?" Steve asked.

"Shrapnel," Bruce answered, nodding. "His body has expelled the shrapnel for some reason."

"No wonder he was tearing at the arc reactor. If the virus kicked out the shrapnel, it wouldn't have wanted the reactor there."

"Wait. Just… just wait," Tony snapped. He struggled against the jacket. They were surprised to hear the seams straining. "Get me out of this."

"Stark-" Bruce started.

"I'm not going to flay myself, Banner. Get me out of this!" He actually looked terribly close to freaking out.

Steve and Bruce looked at each other for a moment, but then Steve moved forward. Tony stilled, watching him with those bi-colored eyes as Steve carefully unbuckled him. The intensity of his gaze was actually unnerving.

Once he was free, Tony sat up and stretched his arms, then leaned forward to look at the shrapnel. "So, that was what was causing the pain."

"I want to do an MRI," Bruce said. "If your body just forced you to choke out shrapnel, your throat should be ripped raw, but you sound fine."

"I feel fine," he said. He turned his head as if trying to pop his neck, then rolled his shoulders. "I feel better than fine, actually. Better than I have in years." He parted the wrap-around shirt to look at the arc reactor. It was glowing in the center of his chest, the skin just fine. "Okay, are you guys fucking with me?" he said, sounding a little angry actually.

Bruce and Steve were taken aback. "What do you mean?" Bruce asked, confused.

"You said you put me in the jacket to stop me from tearing out the reactor. There isn't a mark on me. So unless I've been out for weeks, you're lying."

They both stared at his chest, and then looked at each other. "That's not possible," Bruce said, stunned.

"Maybe it's something like the serum?" Steve asked, a bit wary. "I heal quickly, and you… well, you don't really take damage at all, though."

Bruce was quiet for a long moment. "I have to go back to studying what we got from Hammer."

"Guys," Tony said. "Seriously?"

"Do you think we'd joke with you about something like this?" Steve asked, looking at him with his firm ‘Captain' face that showed he meant business. "Look it up on the cameras if you don't believe us." He stood, picking up the tablet that had been discarded days ago, and passed it over.

Tony frowned as Bruce took a sample of the blood on the floor and moved in to take a vial from him. Using his free hand, Tony accessed the feed on the room and watched. He was surprised to see that it had been four days since they were at Hammer's facility. He watched the feed on fast forward and witnessed his quick deterioration. He had to admit that, by the time they had restrained him into the jacket, he'd needed it. He'd scratched himself all to hell. He looked down at the reactor and the unblemished skin around it, stunned. "Accelerated healing," he said softly. He looked at Bruce. "Loki said Hammer's intention was to make me a monster. How does this lead to that?"

"I don't know," Bruce said, sitting back. "Get cleaned up. I'll have some people come in and take care of the mess. We still need to keep you under quarantine until we can figure out if this is infectious or not."

Tony nodded slowly, looking back down at the frozen image of Thor pinning him down while he struggled. "Yeah," he said, the hairs on the back of his neck rising to attention. "I'll take a look at what you've got and see if anything stands out."

"Actually, why don't you see if you can figure out what else might be different? That would be helpful, so we can know what changes might have been made."

That made sense. Tony nodded slightly, feeling a bit numb. Steve squeezed his shoulder and they both headed out. "Rogers?" he said, looking up. Steve turned back. "Food. Please. I could eat a horse."

Steve smiled. "Sure."


	6. Part Six

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Again with my attempts at science. I am no expert, so hopefully it sounds somewhat reasonable.

Tony probably could have eaten a horse. He'd showered, spending a long time staring at the weirdness of his eyes and the blood that coated his face that he hadn't been aware of. When he was clean and changed, food had been waiting for him, and he'd ended up picking out most of the meat and vegetables to eat, and then asked for more. By the time he'd received thirds, the plate was mostly meat and veggies with some fruit. He had stretched and moved around in between eating ravenously, but nothing felt odd. The arc reactor was a familiar form in his chest, and his body moved in every way he wanted it to. In fact, he felt utterly fantastic. The only thing that bothered him was the fact that he was locked in the room. It wasn't claustrophobic like they had worried it would be, but it was a bit irritating. He felt caged.

Instead of worrying about it, Tony wolfed down the rest of his food then sat with the tablet and started going through everything they'd found. Bruce came back a few times to collect other samples: hair, nails, skin flakes, saliva, all of which made Tony roll his eyes. Finally, they walked him to get the MRI. Bruce ended up running the scan three times, and then sent Tony back to his room. Tony had found that odd, but finally, the door to the room opened and Steve stepped in, no longer in a haz-mat suit. He passed over a pile of clothes. "The cameras are off. Get dressed and come meet us at the conference table."

"I've been cleared?" Tony asked.

Steve shrugged. "Sort of. You definitely aren't infectious, and that was the biggest concern. Apparently, even a direct blood transfusion won't pass on the virus. Banner is going to tell us more at the meeting."

"Well, then, I'd better get dressed." He pulled on the clothes (jeans and a Black Sabbath shirt; they knew him so well), then made his way to the conference room. Inside was his team with varying expressions on their faces. Thor rose and went to Tony's side, putting a heavy hand on his shoulder.

"My friend. I'm glad you have fared well from the injuries you sustained."

"Yeah, well, travelling to the other side of the universe with a gift-wrapped nuke didn't kill me. It would have been just sad if Hammer tech had, so I obviously had to survive." Tony gestured for Thor to precede him to the table, strangely not wanting the Asgardian at his back. Thor walked over and no one else made a move to stand.

"It's good to see you walking around again, Stark," Natasha said.

"Yeah," Clint added. "Watching you on the cameras was getting old."

He rolled his eyes at Clint, a clever comeback failing him as he approached the table. Fury was standing at the head, hands behind his back, simply waiting for Tony to take a seat before beginning the meeting. Tony's fingertips landed on the table as he moved up next to a seat. He glanced at the chair, but he was very reluctant to sit down. Something didn't feel right.

"Something wrong, Stark?" Fury said, watching him.

Tony tipped his head up slightly so that he could look up at Fury. His eyes were intent, a strange look there as he slowly raised his chin. He took a step back, his attitude suddenly stand-offish. "I'd rather stand."

Everyone looked at each other, the tension suddenly thick in the room. "Are you feeling okay?" Bruce asked, going to stand. Tony took another step back, making him hesitate to move closer.

"Fine," Tony replied as he leaned back against the wall opposite of Fury. He waved it off before he crossed one leg over the other, then his arms. "Go on. Let's get this party started."

Fury was watching him, but then he slowly nodded. "Alright, then. We still don't know exactly what the virus was that Hammer had his people create. We're still tracking him down. Doctor," he said, nodding to Bruce and taking a seat.

Bruce stood up and called up information on the screen. "I've tried every form of transmission that I can think of, and the virus doesn't appear to be infectious. Even a direct blood transfusion doesn't work. Of course, we know that magic played a part in the activation of the virus so without someone who understands magic, I can't say why. It simply isn't active outside of the subject's body."

The screen showed an image of a cell, illustrating Bruce's words as he spoke. "It appears that the virus essentially bonds itself to the subjects DNA, which isn't uncommon for some viruses to do, in a way. Usually, they replace part of the DNA in order to cause the cell to reproduce more of the virus instead of its normal functions. This virus, however, doesn't replace the DNA, only bonds with it, so that section of the pattern has parallel information. Also, viruses only tend to affect a specific kind of cell, such as HIV infecting and destroying white blood cells. This virus infects indiscriminately. At this point, it has infected every cell in Stark's body."

"Why?" Clint asked. "It's not destroying his cells, so what is it doing?"

"I don't know," Bruce said, pulling off his glasses. "I don't know what the new DNA sequence means or how it is supposed to interact with his body. The virus is partially magic, but that's not something I can track, and I don't know anyone who can."

"Except Loki," Steve replied.

"Maybe. I don't know how much he knows about our understanding of medicine and physiology. Regardless, the virus appears to have had little known affect on Stark. It obviously was aggressive in its infection, but that seems to have stopped."

"So how has it affected him?" Fury asked.

Bruce gave a short laugh. "Actually, in pretty miraculous ways. For one, his metabolism is faster. His cells regenerate at a much higher speed, though how much is hard to say. Near as I can tell, the cellular regeneration has actually fixed some wear and tear natural due to the aging process."

"He's younger?" Clint asked, surprised.

"Not younger, just in better shape than a person his age normally is. The regeneration is… fast. Very fast." He pulled open the MRI images. "At 10:25 this morning, Tony choked up blood and a few pieces of shrapnel. An MRI scan at 12:30 shows that there are no signs of any remaining shrapnel in his body, and the damage caused by the rejection of the shrapnel has been completely healed." He gestured to the esophagus. "There isn't even a scar."

"He healed shrapnel wounds in two hours?" Fury asked.

Bruce shrugged. "Actually, based on his ability to calmly talk and his lack of pain, I estimate he probably healed in less than fifteen minutes."

Everyone was stunned. "I thought Loki said that the virus would make him a monster," Natasha said. "The healing seems to be more of a benefit, and his eyes are hardly monstrous."

"What would cause that?" Steve asked. "It seems unusual that a virus would do that, even one that has affected his eyes."

"I don't know," Bruce said. "My best guess is that the virus bonded more thoroughly there so there are some physical signs of the original intention behind it, but I can't take a sample because it will blind him."

"Would he heal?" Natasha asked.

Bruce's smile was thin. "I'm not taking the chance."

"So," Tony said slowly. "Considering the virus had to have a trigger to activate an infectious state, is it possible that something might trigger a further bonding of the two strands of DNA?"

Bruce nodded. "It's possible. I don't know. Magic is what activated the virus in the first place, and I don't have magic to experiment with."

"What about the hammer?" Tony said, pushing off the wall to walk to the table. "Loki said that Hammer had intended to use Thor's weapon to activate the virus. Could you use it to run tests?"

"Possibly, but the virus isn't surviving outside of your body. Any experiments would have to be performed on you."

Tony looked at Fury, far more comfortable now that the man was sitting. "And where are we on locating our friendly neighborhood sorcerer?"

"We're still looking," he said. "We're running facial recognition and we've already checked out what holes we know of."

"Loki has means of transportation other than the Bifrost," Thor said, his jaw tight in his frustration. "He could be anywhere in the Nine Realms by now."

Tony stared off. "He's not," he said absently.

Fury sat up slowly, watching him. "What makes you so sure?"

At first, it didn't seem like Tony had even heard the question. He drummed his fingertips against the table for a moment, trying to pinpoint why it was that he so strongly felt that Loki hadn't run off. "I don't know," he said finally. "Just a gut feeling, I guess."

"Can your gut tell us where he might be hiding?" Fury asked.

Tony's eyes were unfocused, staring off into the air. "Somewhere dark," he said slowly. "Somewhere safe."

Bruce turned to him, gently reaching for his wrist. "Tony?" he said, touching his skin.

Tony jerked back, teeth bared in a snarl. When he saw Bruce standing back with his hands up, everyone else in the room tense and ready for action, he stiffened. After a second of hesitation, Tony turned and left. He found himself back in the room he'd been locked in for quarantine and nearly cursed. He had his own room, and he'd intended to go there. He didn't want to go back out into the hallway again and deal with the noise and press of bodies, so he just went to the bed and laid down, rubbing his eyes. The room was quiet, sealed against contamination, and smelled like him. It helped ease the tension he hadn't known he'd been holding.

It wasn't very long until the door opened. Tony didn't even turn around and just closed his eyes. "I'm fine, Banner. I don't need someone to hold my hand."

The door closed and soft steps moved slowly around the bed. "How did you know it was me?"

Tony rolled his eyes. "Because you're playing nurse-maid."

"Actually, Rogers is. I'm your doctor. It's also a serious question." Bruce sat on a chair opposite of Tony, giving him space. "How did you know it was me?"

Tony frowned at him. "It's not exactly rocket science," he snapped. "I could…" He hesitated, and then turned onto his back to look at the door. Confused, he looked back at Bruce. "I could hear you."

"Hear me? How?"

"The way you opened the door," he said, sitting up. He looked a little freaked out. "Your step. Rogers wears shoes with hard soles. Yours are softer, your steps more ginger. Your heart beats faster. His is slow and strong, yours quicker. You… you smell like rage and pain, like a cornered predator." Tony looked up at Bruce's stunned face. "I knew it was you because I could feel your anger fill the room. I could feel the Hulk."

Bruce swallowed hard, surprised. "Tony, that's not normal."

Tony licked his lips. "This room. It smells like me, and like you and Rogers. I can hear the whirl of the cameras in the corners as they move and follow me. They weren't on until you came in to the room."

"Tony, why didn't you sit at the conference table?" Bruce asked.

Tony kept looking around. He was starting to feel a bit overwhelmed. Now that he noticed the things he shouldn't be noticing, his senses were threatening to overwhelm him with bits and pieces of information that he just couldn't process. "Fury was standing."

"Fury always stands."

"But that puts the power in his hands," he bit back, looking at Bruce. "It puts him in charge and he's not in control of me."

Bruce studied his face, looking a bit concerned. "Tony, I want you to lie down. Try not to think too much about what is going on. We're going to-"

He was interrupted by an alarm going off on Tony's phone. Tony picked it up from the table, glancing at the information. He hit the button. "Talk to me, Jarvis."

"Sir, there is an intruder in the underground levels of the Avengers Tower. Scans indicate the intruder is most likely Loki Laufeyson," the AI replied over the phone's speaker.


	7. Part Seven

"Most likely?" Tony repeated, frowning. "What do you mean, most likely?"

"There are anomalies in his vitals that make it difficult to ascertain for sure. I have managed to record an image of his face and have run it through facial recognition to confirm his identification."

"Patch the feed through my phone and send the facial scan to SHIELD to double check."

The image that came over the line was of a dimly lit hallway. The figure was tall and black, so it was difficult to make out any actual features, particularly since he was moving away from the camera. The person, however, was not walking steadily. There was definitely an injury of some kind.

"Jarvis, do you have a better angle?"

The feed switched to just above. It was hard to make out on the phone and in the dim lighting of the hall, but the person seemed to be Loki. He was panting, his hair hanging in limp strings around his face. He stumbled as he walked and leaned heavily against the wall when he arrived at it. The man reached up for something high and unseen on the wall, but then hesitated. Dark eyes, the color impossible to see on the feed, turned to look directly at the camera. There was no mistaking the face then. Loki took one uneven step back, then another, and then he spun. The image abruptly cut off.

"He appears to have thrown a dagger into the camera," Jarvis informed him.

"What is he doing, Jarvis?"

"He's pulling the vent screen down from the wall."

Tony and Bruce looked at each other. "Why?" Bruce asked.

"He is climbing inside of it. He is now outside the range of my sensors."

Tony and Bruce both rose and headed out of the room to find Fury. He was in amongst the flurry of activity as Loki's identity from the feed was confirmed. Fury pointed up at the image of Loki's face. "When was this taken?"

"Maybe five minutes ago." Tony lifted his phone and carefully butted into SHIELD's system, taking over a monitor. He pulled up the security plan of the building and pinpointed a location.

"Wait. That's the tower. How did he get in?" Steve asked, a little alarmed.

"Probably the same way he got out of Hammer's facility," Tony said absently. "He pulled this vent screen down off the wall and has crawled inside, out of Jarvis' range."

"He looked unwell," Thor said, concerned.

"What's the chance that this virus could have infected him, Dr. Banner?" Fury asked.

Bruce snorted. "Very, very slim. It ate his magic, but Thor hasn't been affected at all being around Stark."

"Except I'm not infectious," Tony said, looking at him. "Loki was in the room with me when the virus was active, and he was losing control of his power."

"What does his power have to do with it?" Clint asked.

"It's a part of his body, just as much as any other physiological system. You weaken one system in the body, and the others become susceptible to injury."

"Over exert yourself and you're more likely to catch a cold," Bruce said.

"Exactly. What if the virus eating his magic was enough to weaken his system to the active infection?"

"Then why is he still sick?" Clint asked. "You're fine."

"I'm human. The virus was built for me. Maybe it's having a harder time adapting." Tony opened up the schematics of the building. "That hall leads to a server bank, off to the right. In the walls between the bank and the hall, straight where Loki crawled, is an open room. It's part of the underground and is mostly filled in with rubble, but there's enough room for a person to hole up."

"Why did you leave it?" Steve asked.

Tony shrugged. "Servers throw off a lot of heat. You need to cool them, and the extra space just seemed like too small of a thing to worry about."

"Unfortunately, it makes for a defendable position," Steve said. He pointed at the schematic. "There are vents to both locations. You have to go down the hallway to reach the servers, and he'll know you're coming. He can reach it first and do serious damage before we can get to him."

"Even if we did slip by, it wouldn't be a good idea," Natasha said, staring at the schematic. "He's not the sanest of people. Cornering him is dangerous."

"We've done it before," Clint pointed out.

"But he was aware enough to realize he was beaten. If he's in the same condition as Stark was, then he won't be thinking very clearly. He'd be more likely to lash out."

"If he's in the same condition as Stark was," Bruce said, "Then he's ridiculously weak. Give him about twenty minutes to feel safe and he'll pass out. Then we'll send Thor in to pull him out."

"That virus might be infectious in Loki," Fury added, turning to Bruce. "You have a chance of spreading it around."

"It was never infectious in Stark, so I'm betting that's the same case with Loki." Bruce called up the image of Loki and studied it, considering. "I don't think we'll be able to sneak up on him. He hates Thor, but it's hard to erase centuries of trust. He'll know Thor's presence better than ours, so Thor is less likely to alarm him than anyone else."

Fury faced Bruce square on, frowning. "You're talking like he's an animal reacting on instinct."

Bruce just shrugged. "It's as good a theory as any."

"I'll go as well," Natasha said. "Thor might not be able to pull him out. That vent doesn't look very big."

"It's big enough for Loki," Steve said.

"Loki is a reed compared to Thor. I can crawl in and pull him out, or convince him to leave if he's conscious."

"The space is tight, Romanoff," Tony said. "And he's slender but heavy. Do you think you'll have the leverage to move him?"

"His limbs move just fine, Stark," she said, tone sarcastic. "All I need to do is make sure Thor can reach some part of him, even if it's only his coat or hair."

"We can stand back and cover you," Clint said, looking to Steve, who nodded.

"Not a good idea," Bruce said, shaking his head. "He'll know you're there."

"I can hide pretty well, Doc," Clint said. "And if Loki freaks out, they're going to need help."

"In that state, Thor can handle Loki. And not fifteen minutes ago, Stark was able to identify me by the sound of my heartbeat, so I don't think you'll be able to hide well enough."

A stunned silence fell over the group. It made Tony painfully aware that he was sitting while everyone else was standing, but he refused to give in to the desire to move.

"Do you think Loki can do that as well?" Clint asked, licking his lips. "Stark knows us better than Loki does."

"I can hear your heartbeat, Barton," Tony said, his voice low. "I can see how your face has paled and smell the sudden sweat on your skin. You're afraid of the thought that Loki will be able to find you. No matter how well you hide, you'll fear he can find you, and that will make it easier for him to do."

Clint blanched even further. "How are you doing that?"

"I intend to get a PET scan done to see what has changed. It looks like the virus has affected him in ways that aren't physically visible." Bruce reached out, rewinding the feed to Loki looking up at the camera. "Stark had said earlier that he could hear it when we turned on the cameras in the quarantine room. When Loki moved close to this camera, he found it, indicating his hearing might be just as good."

"Will it be enough to wake him if he's asleep?" Natasha asked Tony.

Tony looked up at the screen, considering. "I doubt it. He probably will find Thor's scent familiar, but he won't recognize either of your heartbeats since he's never heard them before. If you're careful, and I know you are," he said, pointing at her, "then you might get as close as the entrance to the den. The moment you try to climb in, he'll probably wake up."

"Den," Bruce said, seizing the word. "Why call it a den?"

Tony blinked. Having all of their eyes on him while he sat made him want to snarl and lash out. He rubbed his head, but could no longer ignore the desire to stand. "Den, cubby, hole. Whatever. The point is that you won't be able to get in there without him waking. The only reason I'd say Romanoff is still the best bet is because the two of them have never been in melee so he won't find her physically intimidating, and she has the best chance of talking him out of the hole."

"Not physically intimidating?" Bruce asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Would you be afraid of her if you didn't know she could hand us our asses without breaking a sweat?"

Bruce raised his hands as if surrendering. "Yes, but only because I'd wonder what was up her sleeve. I don't think Loki will feel threatened, and she's probably the only one of us who will fit in that space with him, except maybe you."

Tony snorted, looking up at the screen. "You want me to crawl into that space with Sleeping Beauty?"

"Actually, I don't want you anywhere near Loki. I want you two separated, preferably to different ends of the building." Bruce looked absolutely serious.

"Why?" Steve asked.

"There are species of animals that, when two males are locked into a room together, they will fight to the death," Bruce said. "The changes the virus has made are not readily apparent, but Stark has been reacting aggressively to triggers in spacial relations between himself and others. I don't want to chance both him and Loki having the same reactions until I know what's going on."

"English, Doctor," Steve said, confused.

"He's uncomfortable when people stand while he sits."

Everyone glanced at Tony, standing next to the monitor. Instead of shrugging or any number of lackadaisical reactions he'd normally give, his mouth firmed and he met the glances with an air of challenge, willing them to call him on it.

"See what I mean?" Bruce said. "If Loki has the same issues, then something as simple as sitting at a table could turn into a battle that will tear the building apart."

"Since I'd rather not have this facility destroyed, we'll set Stark up in another room and put Loki into quarantine," Fury started.

"No," Tony interrupted without thinking.

Fury shifted, straightening with subconscious challenge. "And why not?"

"Because it's my room," Tony growled.

Bruce sighed, rubbing his temples. "Okay, I think we can add 'territorial' to the list," he muttered.

"That's the only quarantine room we have."

"Not exactly," Steve said. He looked up. "He's at the tower, right? Then we can put him on Banner's floor. There's a containment area there and pretty much any and all medical and scientific equipment we could want."

"He teleported out of the room at Hammer's facility," Clint pointed out. "The Hulk's containment won't hold him."

"Neither will quarantine, and it will definitely keep Stark and Loki separated."

"Except that's my tower," Tony said, hand on his chest. "You're trading one territory for another."

Steve shrugged. "Well, that's up to Banner, but as far as my understanding goes, Jarvis has access to the security of every floor. He just doesn't report what happens on them to you to maintain privacy. If Banner wants to give you permission, then Jarvis can keep you informed of Loki's every move, if it makes you feel better."

Tony blinked, and then leaned back against the consol. "Actually, that kind of does, particularly if he escapes. Security here has to sleep sometime, but there is little Loki can do that Jarvis won't notice. He'd be more secure there than here."

"Can you do MRIs, PETs, and all of those other acronyms at the tower?" Clint asked.

Tony snorted. "Please. Like I can't buy an MRI machine. Besides, we don't need one. There's a chamber in the medical ward that is built for Jarvis to do those kinds of medical diagnostics. He can tell us whatever abnormalities he finds. It would be faster, really."

"Is the room on my floor?" Bruce asked. "I don't remember seeing it."

"The common floor," Tony said, cocking his head to look at him.

"Ah."

"Fine," Fury said. "But I want to be kept informed of what you learn." He looked at Tony, hands going to his hips. "I know you don't take orders well, probably now more than ever, but do us all a favor. Until we know more about this virus and what it has done to you, stay out of the suit."

Tony blinked at him with false innocence. "That would be the height of irresponsibility. When have you known me to be so reckless?"

Natasha turned, gesturing for Thor to follow her. "Loki should be asleep by now. We'll take him to the Hulk's containment before Stark puts the rest of us to sleep with his melodrama."

"I'm hurt," Tony called out after her. "That hurt, Romanoff."


	8. Part Eight

The elevator landed on the floor, the doors parting quietly. Natasha stepped out, footfall soundless in the hallway. The lights were dim, a faded blue that added a deathly pallor to them both as Thor followed her out. He wasn't as noiseless as she, but was still far more silent than most men his size. He gave her plenty of space to move as she carefully paced down the hall. In the distance, she could hear the hum of the servers and the ventilation system keeping them cool. The hallway made a right turn and she peered around. The grate to the vent Loki had crawled into was still down, the Asgardian hidden from sight. She moved silently over, listening carefully, but she heard nothing stir. Hopefully, he was still there. She wasn't tall enough to look in.

When they reached the wall and nothing untoward happened, Natasha put away her gun. Thor knelt down, hammer at the ready, and she used his leg to step up and look inside. The space was shallow and not very tall, just enough room for someone to crawl around and lay out. Inside was darkness, but Loki's skin was pale enough that she could see one hand in the shadows, lax with sleep. She put her hands on the edge of the entrance and levered her way in, avoiding contact. She froze when he moved, shifting in his sleep. His lips curled down into a small frown and he blinked groggily. Quickly, Natasha took his arm and moved it so that Loki's hand dangled out of the vent, where Thor took it in to one of his own.

The contact pushed Loki into greater awareness. He looked at her, blinking, as if he didn't understand what he was seeing. "Agent," he murmured, voice thick and confused. When Thor began to gently pull him out, he finally started to struggle, his movements sluggish and weak.

"Believe it or not, Loki, we're here to help you," Natasha said softly. "That's Thor. You know he won't let us hurt you."

That only caused Loki to struggle harder, but he wasn't trying to hurt either of them. He just looked like he wanted to get away. "Jarvis," she said. "Lights at thirty percent."

The regular lights in the hallways rose, making Loki hiss and close his eyes. It was obvious why he wasn't fighting, however. His skin was beaded with sweat, the color pasty and grey and even more sunken than usual. He never looked like he was eating enough, which usually just gave him a lean, hungry look, but now he looked fragile and breakable. She helped lower him down into Thor's waiting arms as well as she could before climbing down.

Thor looked stricken to see his brother so ill. He gently cradled Loki to himself, Mjolnir hanging from one wrist as Natasha lead him back to the elevators. Loki didn't stop struggling, looking around almost feverishly, but Thor held him easily. "Easy, Brother," he murmured soothingly. "Tony Stark has finished the course of his illness, and Dr. Banner will be able to help you recover from yours as well."

"Release me," Loki gasped. There was desperation to his voice, making Natasha wonder what he was afraid of. It was possibly a wise idea to take him out of the picture while he was ill and weak, but none of the others would go for that and she wasn't about to anger Thor and the rest of Asgard for killing him. Besides, they didn't know enough about the virus to act safely yet.

"Hey, guys," Tony's voice came over the speakers in the elevator. "I'm having Jarvis deliver you to the common floor. Banner wants to get a thorough diagnostic done."

"Copy that," Natasha said. She watched out of the corner of her eyes as Thor gently stroked his brother's sweat-damp hair back from his face, looking heartbroken when Loki didn't have the energy to bat his hand away.

Tony wasn't there when they left the elevator. Apparently Clint was keeping him company up in his penthouse, which was just as well. If Tony had so much as blinked wrong in Loki's direction, Natasha suspected they would have had lightening-roasted Stark to clean up. Thor delivered Loki into the diagnostic chamber, leaving Mjolnir outside of it as he gently laid his brother down and began stripping him out of his leather and metal clothes. As he did so, Bruce had Jarvis start the scans so that they could compare their physiologies, calling up a list of differences.

"The virus appears to be moving through Mr. Laufeyson's systems slower than it did through Mr. Stark's. His heightened immunities are forcing it to act more aggressively," Jarvis informed them.

"Is he beating it?" Steve asked, having no clue what the images on the monitor meant.

"No," Jarvis replied. "According to my estimations, the virus will complete infection in twenty-three hours and forty minutes."

"Will he have the same reaction Stark did, with the blood?"

"Shouldn't," Bruce said, looking through the readings. "As near as I can tell, he doesn't have anything foreign in his system that the virus will want purged. I'd guess his recovery will be faster than Stark's. His metabolism seems to be shot all to hell, though. Tell Stark to get a cook or something in here. He's going to need a lot of food."

"I can hear you, Banner," Tony said over the speakers. "What's that about his metabolism?"

"It's hard to say, since I've never seen Loki eat or have studied him healthy, but Thor's resting metabolism is ridiculously fast, a lot faster than a human's. When your body is fighting an illness, your metabolism gets messed up because your body is burning more energy, but most people tend not to eat enough. It doesn't help that he's feverish."

"Or that he has active magic running," Tony added.

Both Bruce and Steve paused, looking up at the ceiling. "What do you mean?" Bruce asked.

"Remember at Hammer's? You said he had active magic running. Loki told me that it was maintaining his appearance. He doesn't naturally look like this."

"Loki is Jotun," Thor said from inside the chamber, his voice soft as he carefully redressed his brother in the more serviceable clothes Bruce had provided. "A frost giant. The temperature of their bodies is far lower than an Asgardian's with their skin blue like the heart of ice and eyes a deep, bloody red."

"I saw his eyes when we were locked in together," Tony added.

Bruce was cursing. "So, the readings won't do us any good. As far as we know, a fever for an Asgardian is deadly for a Jotun."

"That can't be right," Steve said, looking at them in confusion. "If his body temperature was so much lower than everyone else's, then how did he never notice he wasn't Asgardian?"

"It was never unusually low," Thor replied. He gently wrapped his arms around Loki. Their subject had struggled initially against the hands stripping him, but had since slipped into unconsciousness. "He has always been clever with magic, changing his form being one of his greater talents. He is known by some at home as Loki Form-Swift." Thor cradled his brother in his arms and walked him out to the elevator, taking him to Bruce's floor and the containment room.

"Loki said it was a shape-shifting spell," Tony noted. He was drumming his fingers on the table, watching the proceedings through the cameras with helpless agitation. He couldn't figure out why he wanted to be down there. He would have been useless, and he had no interest in coddling the ill god.

"Yet another billion questions to try to answer," Bruce said. He got up from the consol and followed Thor to the containment on his own floor and sat beside Loki, gently touching his forehead. He pulled out a needle and raised Loki's sleeve. When he went to actually draw blood, however, the needle broke without piercing the skin. Bruce sighed, looking at Thor. "I don't suppose you have any idea how to draw his blood without cutting him to ribbons?"

"We do not draw blood during healing in Asgard," he said, standing in the door and watching, worried.

"Of course not." He turned back. "Jarvis, did you get an idea of the rate of cellular regeneration?"

"I calculate that a wound inflicted deep enough to collect an average ten milliliters of blood should heal in under two minutes without causing enough blood loss to threaten recovery from the viral infection," JARVIS replied.

Bruce looked up at Thor. "I have a scalpel. I'll make it as quick and painless as possible, but I need a blood sample."

Thor hesitated for only a moment, but he nodded. "I will hold him down in case the wounding wakes him."

With Thor and Steve holding him down, Bruce managed to collect a single tube of Loki's blood while Natasha used the sharpest scalpel they had against a vein in the god's arm. Loki had made a soft whine of pain in his unconsciousness, but otherwise did not stir, and the wound healed in less than two minutes as Jarvis had estimated.

Bruce took the blood to the equipment to start comparing it to Tony's blood while Thor sat down outside of the containment, watching his brother with worry. Everyone looked up when the door opened and Tony sauntered in. "He looks like shit," the human observed, wandering closer to the glass.

Thor was quickly up, blocking Tony's view of Loki. "You should not be down here, Tony Stark."

"Where's Barton?" Natasha and Steve asked nearly in unison, Steve looking alarmed and Natasha disturbingly calm.

"Right here," Clint said, walking out. His hands were bound behind his back with handcuffs. "You should add strong and fast to the list of changes, there, Doc," he said.

Bruce pulled off his glasses. "Don't tell me he bested you in a fight without the suit," Steve said, all of them looking surprised.

"He was in my way," Tony said, trying to step around Thor. The blond kept moving back in his way. After a couple of tries, Tony looked up at him with an exasperated huff. "I'm not going to hurt him, Thor. He's in a glass container that even the Hulk can't break out of. Looking at him isn't going to break him."

"You shouldn't be down here to begin with," Steve said.

"I wanted to come down."

"All the more reason to keep you out."

"I wouldn't, Rogers," Clint said. He held still while Natasha picked the lock on his cuffs. "This is Stark at his most stubborn, and he's probably a match for you now."

"It doesn't matter." Steve looked at Tony, who was glaring darkly at him with his eerie eyes. There was something there, something strange, and it didn't look anything like the Tony Stark he knew. He was beginning to understand the idea of the virus making them monsters. "We agreed on this, Stark. You need to stay away from him."

"He's safe, Rogers. You're here to make sure I don't do anything… alarming." Tony bared his teeth in a look that was more like a snarl than a smile, the darkness never leaving his eyes.

"It's not him I'm worried about," Steve said. "Or didn't you notice the wall of muscle behind you ready to defend his brother?"

Tony casually looked over his shoulder at Thor. As he turned his head to look back, something strange happened. His shoulders squared, the tension in his body shifting slightly. His eyes, when they focused on Steve again, were completely, stunningly golden. "Walk away," he said, his tone firm and clipped. The words were an order, and Tony obviously expected them to be obeyed. It would have made any commander proud. Judging by Thor's sudden tension, he also heard the steely note and didn't like it. "Both of you. Back off and walk away."

"I can't let you hurt him, Stark," Steve said softly.

"I have no intention of hurting him. Back away."

"Stark-"

"Fuck. Off. Rogers." The words were bitten off, Tony's tone lower, almost growling.

A sudden whine sliced the tension. Everyone turned to look inside the glass cage. Loki was sitting up. He looked terrible, his skin waxy and so pale that there was a strange hint of blue beneath it. His eyes were wide, showing off the red of his irises, like rubies or bright garnets. He looked a bit delirious, his gaze flicking around as he stumbled off of the bed, unsteady. He propped himself against the wall, just breathing for a moment as he looked around.

Thor moved close to the glass, snapping Loki's wild attention to him. "Brother," Thor said softly. "You are safe. You are ill from Hammer's weapon, and we are helping you."

Tony moved around Thor, easily ducking Steve as the blond reached to hold him. He didn't step up to the glass as he walked, studying Loki. It caught Loki's attention and he watched Tony as he moved wordlessly, eyes travelling over their guest. Tony's eyes eventually made their way to Loki's. Surprisingly, Loki took a half step back along the wall, his body hunching slightly. The defensive reaction to his aggression seemed to calm Tony, the tension bleeding from him.

"Relax, Frosty," he said casually. "The virus seems to be taking longer to work through your system. We don't know what it does yet, but between us and SHIELD, the best minds are working on figuring it out. You're protected, for now."

Loki blinked slowly, his feverish gaze confused. He opened his mouth as if he was going to say something, but ended up swallowing thickly.

"Sir," Jarvis interrupted, startling Loki. "The caterers are here with your order."

"Great," Tony replied, rubbing his hands together. "Barton, there's a kitchen and dining area on this floor. If you could escort them there? That should be plenty close enough to fix up food for Loki to eat."

"What am I, a butler?" Clint said with a grumble, but he turned and headed down. Loki's feverish confusion was making him uncomfortable. It made his fingertips itch for the fletching of an arrow to have him so close. In his weak, delirious state, Loki would be so easy to put down, but he had the funny feeling that the rest of his team would rip him apart for even trying. Thor, he could kind of understand, the laws of sibling rivalry being what they were, but he suspected Tony would beat him to the punch. He wasn't ready to tangle with his teammate again, not until they had a better idea of what was happening. At least playing the servant got him away from the object of his vengeance.


	9. Part Nine

While Clint went down to get the food, Bruce approached the containment carefully. "Hey, Loki. I have a bottle of water here for you. Are you thirsty?"

Loki blinked slowly at him, and then licked his dry lips again, nodding. Bruce looked sideways at Tony. "Stay out here," he said, then asked Jarvis to open the door. He stepped inside but stopped just outside of Loki's reach and immediately crouched down. Silently, he uncapped the bottle and handed it over.

Loki took it, his hand shaking. Leaning against the wall for support, he started gulping it down.

"Easy," Bruce said. "There's plenty more. Don't drown yourself."

Heedless, Loki finished off the bottle, then again licked his lips. "I know how to drink water, you fatuous creature," he said, his voice thin but steady.

Bruce nodded, unfazed. "Fatuous; more than two syllables and you remember who I am. That's good. If we're lucky, that means your fever is breaking. If you don't mind, I would like to take your temperature."

Loki's eyes flicked around the room warily, looking more and more like a cornered animal. "Take my temperature?" he said, his tone scornful but a bit breathy. He just seemed to notice the clothes he was wearing and pulled his limbs closer to himself.

"Bodies maintain an average internal temperature," Bruce said, his voice calm and low. Loki was known as the Wordsmith, and he'd seen the Asgardian talk his way into and out of situations before. He figured language would be something familiar he could focus on to keep from panicking. "Illnesses like the virus you were infected with can disrupt the average temperature, causing a fever or chills. Part of the way we study and treat illnesses is to track the internal body temperature. This device," he held up a temporal thermometer, "is placed against the temple where the veins run close to the skin. Using infrared technology, it can gather a pretty accurate reading of your core temperature. With it, I can figure out if you're starting to recover from the effects of the virus."

Loki eyed the device. He didn't look thrilled by the idea of being touched in any way. That was when Clint came back into the room. "Grub's up," he said. "And there's a lot of it." He froze like a deer when Loki suddenly shot to his feet, eyes dark and hungry.

"You didn't bring a plate?" Tony asked. "What do I pay you for?"

"My hot ass, except last I checked, you don't pay me. Skinflint."

"I will bring Loki food," Thor said, turning to go.

"No, it's fine. I've got it," Tony replied, heading off.

"You are not in your right mind," Thor replied, frowning. "I will take care of my brother."

Tony stopped, looking up at the blond. Strangely, he turned around and looked at Loki. The Asgardian looked like he was debating the wisdom of bodily moving Bruce out of his way. "Hey, Loki. You have to stay in the containment for now, but we'll bring you food. Who would you rather have bring it, myself or Thor?"

Loki looked between the two of them, narrowing his eyes slightly, mind racing even in his feverish condition. He then turned and looked at Steve, making the blond blink. "You would not harm an ailed opponent in your care, would you, good Captain?" he asked.

Steve looked between Loki and the others as if trying to find a way out of this. Thor looked a bit hurt, but Tony was amused more than anything. "Nice call," he said, grinning. The smaller brunet looked over at Steve, raising his eyebrows. "Well, Cap? Are you going to aid our defenseless captive?"

Steve scowled at Tony, but he couldn't really blame Loki for his choice, as much as he wanted to. With a sigh of annoyance, he turned and went into the other room to make up a plate. He was a bit stunned by the food laid out. The table was practically groaning with it, an indulgent banquet, and most of it was fruit, vegetables, and meat, with bits of savory pastries here and there. "Stark, I wouldn't call this a balanced diet," he said, frowning.

"Trust me," Tony said, walking in. "It's what he wants. I should know." He snagged a sliver of roast cooked very rare and popped it into his mouth.

"Right," Steve said dryly.

"He is correct," Thor said, also eyeing the bounty being offered. "On Asgard, our fare is similar." He frowned and poked at a piece of baklava. "Except for perhaps this."

Tony raised a hand to stop him. "Do not mock baklava. It's good stuff."

"Loki is not overly fond of sweets."

"Then we'll only give him one. Better save it for last, though. You're going to be running back and forth a few times, Cap."

"I figured as much," Steve said calmly, carefully dishing a wide variety of food onto a plate, favoring the meats slightly. "I fed you when you woke up, remember?"

Tony squinted at him. "Oh, yeah."

"What was that about?" Steve asked curiously. "When you stared at Loki, trying to intimidate him. Why did you do that?"

Tony considered it for a moment, slowly chewing on another piece of roast. "I think," he answered thoughtfully, "it was to make sure he knew he wasn't in control of the situation."

"He wasn't really in a position to be in control."

"He'll take his chances if you don't feed him."

Steve shook his head and grabbed another water bottle. "We're going to discuss this." He went back into the other room and handed the plate and water over to Loki, not actually entering the containment area.

Loki's eyes had changed back to his normal green, although they, like Tony's, had the ring around the pupil, his a bloody red. Despite the switch, the look in his eyes was even less sentient than when he'd awaken. He took the plate and sat on the edge of the bed, immediately wolfing the food down like a starving man. He seemed unaware or uncaring of his audience, Clint and Natasha watching silently from the back of the room. Bruce was also watching, but was out of the containment room now. In fact, there was nothing actually stopping Loki from leaving.

Steve walked up to Bruce to murmur quietly to him. "Stark reacted the same way to food."

"I remember," he said, his voice low, but not actually attempting to prevent anyone from hearing. "It's definitely following a similar structure. We just have to figure out what that structure is."

"I have a theory on that," Clint said, pushing off of the wall. He walked up to them, Natasha following. "This sounds ridiculous but… Loki's information said that Hammer wanted to make Stark a monster, right?"

"Right," Bruce confirmed, crossing his arms curiously.

"So what have we seen so far? Enhanced strength, speed, healing, with a penchant for meat, domination, and territorialism."

"Wait, domination?" Steve interrupted.

"Stark's aggression," Natasha answered. "He doesn't want to be lower than Fury and he insisted on staring down Loki the moment he was awake."

"It was driving him wild to have Loki in the building and to not be down here with him," Clint added.

"And your theory is what, exactly?" Bruce asked.

"Well…" Here, Clint hesitated. "I know it sounds stupid but those qualities are consistent with pop culture depictions of lycanthropes."

Bruce and Steve stared at him for a moment. "Lycanthropes?" Steve asked, confused.

"Werewolves," Bruce said, closing his eyes. He seemed to be fighting to know what to do with his face. He ended up raising his eyebrows and looking at Clint in amusement. "Werewolves? The problem, besides the lack of existence, is that the most common symptom of lycanthropy as you're suggesting it is the ability to, you know, turn into a wolf."

Clint raised a hand, flicking up a finger to underline his points. "First, you're talking about werewolves not existing in the same breath as you're referring to Norse gods. Second, the spell the virus fed off of was a shape-changing spell. Third, they've had no reason to change. Loki just woke up and Stark would have no idea he could do it, let alone how."

"Werewolves?" Bruce repeated.

"I'm not saying it's perfect. The virus was engineered. But it might have been what Hammer was going for when he said that he wanted to make Stark a monster."

Steve cocked his head, looking at Bruce. "He has a point there."

"Yes, that I'll believe," he said. "Whether it actually happened or not remains to be seen. It's an interesting theory, but I need more evidence before we can say that for sure."

A knock on the glass had them turning their heads. Loki's plate was empty and he leaned against the doorway of the open cage. "Service, good Captain?" he said, a small, mocking smile curling his lips.

"You could simply ask for more, you know," Steve said. "Politely."

"Or I could simply step out and get it."

"Go ahead," Clint said, startling everyone.

"What?" Loki said, nonplussed.

"Go on. You know where the food is. Follow your nose, or play Marco Polo with Stark and Thor."

Loki's mouth hardened, his eyes darkening in anger. He straightened in the door, but he didn't step out. He stood there a moment, looking off toward the hall that led to the dining room, then around the rest of the room. He seemed oddly hesitant to leave.

"What's the matter?" Clint asked, mocking the Trickster. "Afraid of wandering into Stark's territory?"

Loki turned and met Clint's eyes, his gaze heavy. "I know your mind, Agent Barton," he purred softly. "You think to taunt me with some perceived advantage, but it is not yours." Loki stalked down the ramp, padding silently on his bare feet, every movement full of feral grace and a fierce will. Loki had always been terrifying, but there was something else there now, intense and wild and predatory, that made the humans in the room long to back away. Loki held Clint's gaze as he moved forward. "The advantage is mine. Shall I prove it to you, or are you going to submit yourself to me again like you long to?"


	10. Part Ten

Clint's eyes widened slightly, terror and rage warring on his face. Before anyone could react to the almost hypnotic fear Loki had cast over them, Tony was suddenly there, standing between them. It made everyone jump back except Loki. Bruce scrambled back a lot, trying to breathe and keep control. He wasn't angry, but he was very startled. Clint had said that Tony moved fast, but that was faster than he'd seen anyone move.

"Back off," Tony growled at Loki. "If you're under our protection, then you're going to damn well act like it and not threaten my team."

Loki didn't back down, but the confident stance changed. Loki bared his teeth threateningly and took a half-step back, his actions more defensive than aggressive. He didn't break eye contact with Tony, however. "What, precisely, are you protecting me from?" he said, his tone mocking. He slowly straightened. It was ridiculous to think that the pasty, ill sorcerer was picking a fight after having just woken up from unconsciousness. "This is not for my benefit, but for your precious humans, to discover what your own people have wrought. I am a specimen to be studied."

"Then you're going to back off because I told you to." The several inches Loki had on him didn't seem to make a difference to Tony at all, his voice a firm command, his body practically radiating threat.

Loki, in turn, was cold. The air literally chilled about him, prickling goosebumps up Steve's arms, who was closest. His eyes were icy as he stared hard at Tony. "I am not one of your Avengers to bow to your whim. Your commands mean nothing to me."

"Brother," Thor said hesitantly, unsure who he was supposed to help. The word made Loki's lips pull back off his teeth again, distracting him for half a second.

It was really difficult to tell what happened next. It seemed like the two of them were squaring off, then the next second Loki was inside the containment room, backed into the far wall, and crouched in a fighting stance. Tony was standing in the door, not having entered the space, his body straight and eyes staring down at Loki. They glared for a moment longer, caught in the new tableau, and then Tony smirked and slowly backed away. "If you want some more food, you can nicely ask me. Jarvis, close the door." The glass door slid shut, locking Loki inside. Loki's icy rage was palpable, and it was all focused on Tony. Oblivious, or more likely not particularly caring, Tony turned away and swept up the empty plate that had been dropped on the floor.

"You okay?" he asked Clint.

The rest of the team was staring at him with wide eyes, speechless. They gaped at him for a long moment until Natasha finally pointed. "Did you just chase Loki back to his cage?"

"Cage is such an ugly word," he said with a slight wince. "More like his room."

"But you intimidated him. Loki. You chased Loki."

Tony blinked, and then looked back over his shoulder at the Asgardian. Loki was no longer prepared to fight, but he hadn't moved out of the crouch, leaning back against the wall as he watched them.

"Uh… yeah. I guess I did," he said, turning back around to face them. He sounded slightly surprised himself, like he hadn't really been aware of what he'd been doing.

"Do you believe me now?" Clint said, and if his tone was slightly breathy with the fading edge of panic, no one called him on it. "Did they or did they not just nearly throw down?"

That seemed to break some of the tension. "I want to review the recordings of that. How could you both move so fast?" Bruce said, putting on his glasses and going over to the computer.

"They didn't turn into wolves, Barton," Steve said with a sigh.

"Who with the what now?" Tony asked, interrupting. "Wolves? Why would we turn into wolves?"

"Clint thinks the virus might have been Hammer's attempt at bioengineering some form of lycanthropy," Natasha said. She sounded amused still, but her eyes kept going back to Loki warily.

"Lycanthropy? You think I… you think we," Tony gestured between himself and Loki, "are werewolves?"

"It answers everything," Clint said defensively, crossing his arms.

"What is this 'lycanthropy'?" Thor asked.

Tony looked at the beefy blond and nearly rolled his eyes. "Werewolves. They're myths, legends of men who had the ability to turn into wolves."

"Usually," Clint interrupted, a little too eager to be right, "the affliction was caused by a curse or, in more modern stories, infection from a virus."

"How does that explain any of this?" Tony said, looking at the marksman with a baffled expression. "Neither one of us can turn into a wolf."

"My brother can, indeed, do that, Tony Stark. I have seen him take other forms before, although not yet that one."

Tony rolled his eyes. "Yeah, yeah, magic, blah, blah. I still can't turn into a wolf."

"In a lot of the modern stories, werewolves may or may not be bound to the full moon, but there is a lot of emphasis on the fact that they have some of the instincts of their second nature even in human form. For example…" Clint gestured between Loki, Tony, and himself. "The urge to establish a hierarchy, to dominate or submit. Not to mention increased speed, strength, regeneration, and your territorialism."

"Banner," Steve said suddenly, looking over at the doctor. "Didn't you say back at the SHIELD facility that you wanted to keep Stark and Loki separated because of animal-like issues of aggression?"

"See?" Clint said, pointing at Steve. "I'm not the only one thinking it."

"When is the next full moon?" Natasha asked.

"Jarvis?" Tony asked. "Full moon."

"The next full moon is scheduled to occur tomorrow night," Jarvis answered.

"Usually, the first full moon is the trigger for the changes," Natasha said. When everyone blinked at her, surprised that she was supporting Clint's inane theory, she shrugged. "I don't have a better explanation yet. Besides, Norse gods? Really?"

"Norse gods who are turned into werewolves?" Tony replied. He rubbed his head, glancing at Steve. The captain was looking over at Loki in containment with a frown on his face, causing Tony to glance over curiously. It took a moment for him to actually find the Asgardian. Loki had moved over by the bed, sitting on the floor between the foot of the cot and the wall, the only mostly hidden spot in there, except possibly the floor under the cot. His legs were pulled to his chest, his face in his knees. It was the most vulnerable thing he'd ever seen the villain do.

"He doesn't look well," Steve said quietly. "I'm going to get him more food."

"No," Tony said. "I'll do it."

"Why you?" Steve said, his voice hardening slightly. His expression was full of disapproval, fairly common when the two of them talked; they were forever at odds in any conversation. "You need to stay away from him until he recovers, Stark."

"No, actually, I don't. If I do, he's just going to try threatening someone again."

"You don't know that."

"Seriously?" he said, incredulous. "Rogers, it's Loki. I do know that. Besides, it's the same aggression Bruce mentioned with me. He's caged and it makes him feel vulnerable and he'll do whatever he can to get the upper hand."

"And you're going to be our guard dog?"

Tony clenched his jaw, anger tightening his shoulders. "So I should have let him threaten Barton? Is that what you're suggesting?"

"I'm suggesting that you sit down and let me get him another plate so he can recover," Steve said. "You don't need to do everything. Besides…" he lowered his voice slightly. "If Barton's idea is true, and that's a big if, then it can't hurt to have someone else try to work with him. Animals… well, they respond well to the hand that feeds them."

"You're joking," Tony said, stunned. "You want to scratch his ears next?"

"I'll feed him," Natasha said. "Whatever is happening, I can manipulate it better than either of you. I've dealt with him before and I came out on top. I can do it again."

"You sure?" Steve asked.

"Yeah. Besides, I've always thought having a puppy would be fun." She headed out of the room while Clint cackled suddenly and Tony nearly sputtered. She looked around and actually found a small platter. She piled that with a wide variety of food, having noted what he ate most quickly before, and went back out to the containment.

"Loki?" she said, managing to both raise her voice but make it sound, if not gentle, then at least soothing. The god lifted his head enough to glare at her, but his expression changed quickly when he saw what was in her hands. "Are you hungry?"

Loki moved like he was going to crawl over, but stopped, anger and frustration skittering across his face. Finally, he just moved to sit on the end of the cot. "Yes," he said, his tone and posture stiff and cold.

"Jarvis, open the door please," she said. It slid open for her and she stepped inside, bringing the platter to him. She offered it, her presence still calm and face impassive. He searched her eyes for a moment, his chin low and hands gripping the edge of the cot, but he finally reached out to take it. He balanced it easily on one of his long palms and began to eat. Natasha stepped back and leaned in the doorway, crossing her arms and watching.

It was a good few moments before Loki sighed and looked up at her. "Something fascinating, Agent Romanoff?" he said. He had been aiming for polite curiosity, but he just ended up sounding weary.

"I have a question, but I was going to wait until you were ready to talk."

He looked up at her and gave a slight smile. "Don't be shy on my account."

"We have a theory. Since you know the most about what Hammer was trying to accomplish, not to mention some of your other talents, I wanted to see what you thought."

Loki licked his lips slowly, watching her. "And what do you know of my other talents, Agent?" he asked, lips curling in amusement as he canted his head.

Natasha didn't rise to the bait. "Thor said you're known as Form-Swift back on Asgard. In the myths, you're a notorious shape shifter."

He took another bite of food, his eyes never leaving her as he chewed. She watched him in return, relaxed against the glass. There was no challenge between them, Loki simply considering her, although there was probably nothing simple about his thoughts. Finally, he swallowed. "You want me to change into the form of a wolf to see if Agent Barton's theory is credible."

"How could you hear us through that glass?" Clint said suddenly, surprised.

"I could hear enough, and the door wasn't closed when you spoke of it the first time, or did you think me too preoccupied to listen?" He looked coolly at Clint, and his eyes did hold a mocking challenge then.

"Do you think you might learn anything if you tried?" Natasha asked, sticking to the point.

Loki was silent for a moment. "I will need to consider it," he finally said, almost sounding curious. "I am not familiar with this legendary illness." He looked back down at his food and continued to eat, dismissing her. He watched the covers of his cot absently as he chewed. Tony could practically see the thoughts flashing in that psychotic but brilliant mind.

Natasha walked away, having Jarvis close the door. Bruce gestured them all over to his place at the computer, taking off his glasses. "Look," he said softly. "His metabolism has shot through the roof and the speed at which he and Tony moved has got to be hard on his system. He doesn't have the energy to spare to remake his physiology with magic, so don't encourage him. If we want to get to the bottom of this, we have to let the virus finish settling in and see what happens then. If Barton's theory is correct, then we'll know tomorrow night."

"Are you protecting your patient, Doctor?" Tony said with faux shock.

"I'm telling you to get the hell off of my floor. If I need you, you'll know."

"Are you sure you don't want one of us to stay here with you, Banner?" Steve asked, casting a worried glance at Loki. "He's going to be a larger handful when he's recovered."

"I don't really think it's going to help anything to have a bunch of his worst enemies staring at him while he's weak," Bruce replied. "If anything, it will make him more irritable. Leave him to me for now, and take the rest of the food with you. Besides, it's not like he can kill me, or even really hurt me."

Steve nodded slowly, and then smiled. "Sure. Let us know if you need any of us." He started toward the door.

"Jarvis," Tony said, following him. "Keep an eye on our guest. He does anything to Bruce, you sound the alarm."

"Yes, sir," the AI replied.

Only Thor hung back briefly from the general exodus. He looked over at his brother, who was ignoring all of them. He looked like he wanted to ask to stay, but he thought better of it and also left.

Bruce walked over to the glass. "Just me and you now. How are you feeling?"

Loki glanced up at him through his lashes. "Thirsty." His eyes went back down, dismissing Bruce.

Bruce gave him a wan smile. "Such a pleasant fellow," he said dryly, turning to go get his patient more water.


	11. Part Eleven

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just pretend the science makes sense.

Loki spent the rest of the day sleeping to gather his strength. It annoyed him to have to do it inside of the glass cage where Bruce could watch him, but he also felt safe in there, and so took advantage of the opportunity. Even once deep sleep started evading him, he remained drowsing on the cot to keep Bruce from plying him with questions. It allowed him to think about Natasha's suggestion earlier.

He didn't know the legends of werewolves, so he didn't know why being one might have been considered an issue. He didn't like the thought of having yet another natural form, but he also had little problem using his shape shifting magic when the need arose. The only thing that concerned him was that the Avengers seemed to think it would change the way he acted. Admittedly, his scuffle with Tony Stark earlier in the day left him with a sour taste in his mouth. Tony's brazen confidence usually amused him, since the human was powerless against him without that suit. Today, however, that confidence had made Loki feel unsteady, like he had no true ground to stand on. The fact that he'd been chased off, back into the glass cage, still made Loki's blood simmer. He'd had no recourse except to blame the incident on his weakness due to his ailment and had vowed not to let it happen again. The next time Tony tried to bend Loki to his will, the human would not meet with success.

Loki allowed himself a moment to fantasize about all of the things he could do to repay the mortal Man of Iron for that earlier slight. He would make Tony run, let him try to escape, just to hunt him down himself. When he caught him, he'd pin him down, hands bruising, crushing, and harsh enough that Tony wouldn't be able to gather his breath enough to speak. He'd hold the mortal's throat in his teeth, the frantic pulse under his tongue, and let the knowledge simmer that his fragile life was at Loki's vindictive mercies. And when Tony was weak and cowering beneath him, he'd accept only the greatest submission to his supremacy, allowing the human to please him, to bare himself to him, to reach down and--

Loki jerked up into a sitting position, his eyes widening. Fortunately, the room was dark, Bruce having long since slipped off to sleep, so no one was there to witness him being startled. He would have liked to blame the turn of his thoughts on sleep, but he had been awake for that.

Loki was not one who chose to limit himself in partners based on something as meaningless as gender, or even species, on occasion. It seemed foolish and trite when he could be anything he wanted. He was particular, however, and he hadn't actually considered humans to be more than perhaps brief entertainment, should he be in the mind for it. He was not interested in sporting with any of the Avengers in such a way. To begin with, the effort involved would hardly be worth the reward, and he didn't really feel any of them were deserving of him in such a manner. So why had his thoughts of threats and punishments drifted so far?

Loki gently prodded that thought again, wondering where it had come from. He briefly considered the idea of Tony Stark's hands on his body, touching his waist. While he didn't find the idea as repulsive as he'd thought he might, it wasn't the same thing as the fantasy. He didn't want lingering caresses or shared pleasure. In that scenario, he wanted Tony's weakness, his vulnerability, his submission.

Many had called Loki misguided, perhaps even foolish, but never stupid. It was an act of domination, same as what had happened earlier in the day. It was a primal impulse, instinctive, and fit well with the theory of the virus making them some kind of lupine beast or monster. Where Loki hadn't been taking the Widow's suggestion terribly seriously, he suddenly was.

Now that no one was around to see what he discovered, Loki pushed off the covers and stood, moving into the center of the cage. He considered the image of a wolf: lean, glossy black fur, rending teeth, shining eyes. He held the image close and pulled his magic into it, just letting it be contained in his body, rather than flowing out and into the new form. It didn't, however, feel right. As he sensed the magic, letting it flow, it seemed to thrill through every cell in his body in an aching longing. The image felt wrong to him, and he allowed it to change to what felt right. The deep fur became striped with ribbons of that strange grey that looked blue. The lithe wolf remained lean, but was larger, the eyes sliding from leaves to fresh-spilt blood. The beast was handsome, powerful, and wild, and felt so much more right that his control slipped, his body shuddering hard. Loki collapsed to the floor, teeth and hands clenched as he tried to control and soothe the itching feeling of restlessness in his skin and muscles. Soon, the shuddering reduced to shivering, then stopped. He gasped, panting as he opened his eyes and stared at the floor in shock.

Suddenly, the door opened and the lights turned on, flooding the room. Loki flinched, blinking rapidly as he looked up. Bruce strode in, obviously having just been awakened but looking alert regardless. "Jarvis said you had collapsed."

"Jarvis?" Loki repeated slowly, still panting slightly from his place on the floor. His mind was too stunned to recall who or what Jarvis was.

"Stark's AI." When Loki's expression remained blank, he elaborated. "Artificial intelligence. He's the computer that runs the building, and the disembodied voice."

"His technological familiar," Loki muttered, remembering. He closed his eyes, making sure he had full and complete control of himself before he smoothly stood. He was tired of appearing weak before these mortals.

"What happened?" Bruce asked. "Let's get you upstairs to the medical ward and I'll have Jarvis run you through a scan to see how you're doing."

He nearly sneered until he considered that it might be useful to know the progress of the illness. There was a possibility that what he'd learned was wrong, and he was almost eager to leap for that chance. He inclined his head. "Very well."

"You're not going to try anything?"

"I will not harm anyone or try to escape," Loki said. He placed his hand over his heart. "I give you my word, Dr. Banner."

Bruce looked at him for a moment. "I didn't know you even knew my last name. How about that? Jarvis, the door please." It hushed open, allowing Loki to move to it. The Asgardian hesitated, almost as if he was expecting Tony to swoop down and attack the moment he stepped out. He realized immediately his reluctance and clenched his hands. He was not afraid of a human in metal armor. He stepped out of the containment and followed Bruce to the elevator.

"Jarvis," Bruce said, once they were in and moving. "I don't know what you can do, but I'd rather not have the entire team flooding into the medical bay. Can you keep them from coming for now?"

"I am unable to prevent any one Avenger from travelling to the common floor," Jarvis replied. "However, I have informed them of Mr. Laufeyson's condition and that you request for them to remain as they are."

Loki's head snapped up, looking at the ceiling of the elevator. "Laufeyson?" he said, his voice low.

"You are designated in my system as the Asgardian sorcerer Loki Laufeyson, a top priority threat and brother of the Asgardian prince Thor Odinson."

"Who designated me as such?" Loki asked. The air in the elevator was tense and cold, tension thrumming.

"Mr. Stark."

Bruce hesitated to say anything, but he also didn't want Loki ripping out Tony's heart, which he looked tempted to do. "Tony had asked Thor if Odinson was your official last name, for designation purposes." When those hard eyes turned to him, Bruce could see that the red had drowned out the green. "Thor said you had refused to be identified as Odin's son, so he went with your name from mythology."

That didn't help at all. "Your legends name me as the son of Laufey?"

"To be fair, they also say that Laufey is your mother."

Fortunately, the elevator arrived then at their floor. Bruce led Loki out, his shoulder blades almost itching at having the angry god following him. Loki remained true to his word and didn't hurt him, just following to the medical ward. He stepped into the scanner room, silent, and stood still in the center. Bruce went to the control consol.

"Alright, Jarvis, initiate scans. The whole nine yards, please. I want everything we can get." Data quickly started filtering across the screen. "Well, your temperature has lowered," Bruce said for the Asgardian's benefit. "Jarvis, how is the virus' progress?"

"The virus has reached complete integration."

Bruce frowned. "What? We still have hours left by your estimation."

"Ten hours and twenty-eight minutes. An acceleration of the infection might have been triggered."

"By what?"

"It is unknown. The cellular changes are at an advanced stage compared to Mr. Stark."

"How so?" Bruce asked.

"The two strands of DNA, separate but parallel in Mr. Stark, appear to both occupy the same space in Mr. Laufeyson."

Bruce blinked. "What, like they've blended?"

"As if they both exist, complete unto themselves, in the same space of existence," Loki interrupted from the room. His lips were turned down in displeasure as he stared off.

"That's not possible," Bruce said.

"It is, actually. One bloodline is present and existent, the other a breath of possibility." It told him what he needed to know, and his lips first turned down in his displeasure of the inconvenience, then back off his teeth at the thought of Tony. If this was caused by the virus, which it surely was, that meant he and the armor smith were the only two of these new creations of Hammer's. He was not going to chance dealing with Tony until he understood this better. He stepped to the door, leaving the room. He inclined his head slightly to Bruce, and then disappeared.


	12. Part Twelve

Jarvis sounded the alarms, of course. Tony was the first to arrive, having been chomping at the bit to come down and make sure Loki was behaving. He was furious that the trickster was gone, pacing in the room and trying to think of ways to track him down. The others had arrived quickly after, and asked Bruce what had happened. The doctor himself was leaning against the counter, hands flat and head down, just breathing.

"He gave his word," Bruce said, looking up.

"Oh, because Loki's word has always meant something before," Tony snapped.

"Stark, that's not helpful. You need to calm down," Steve said, trying to help take control.

"Calm down?" the man said, incensed. He started to step forward, to invade Steve's space, but Thor's firm hand on his shoulder kept him in place.

"Loki does not break his word," Thor said, frowning slightly at Bruce. "When he gives his word, he follows it carefully. It may be that he did not say what you thought he said."

"Jarvis," Tony said. "What were Loki's exact words?"

"I will not harm anyone or try to escape," Loki's voice came over the speakers. "I give you my word, Dr. Banner."

"Key word is 'try'," Natasha said, shrugging slightly.

Clint agreed. "Yeah. He didn't try, he did. It's a small distinction, but it's probably enough for him."

Bruce shook his head and looked up. "Alright. I screwed up, but I learned something at least."

Steve glanced at Tony. The smaller human had calmed slightly in listening to the discussion on Loki's promise and seemed relaxed with Thor's hand on his shoulder, so he walked over to Bruce. "Alright. What have you learned?"

"And please let it be good news," Clint said, crossing his fingers.

"Well, I don't know about good news." Bruce slid his glasses back on and sat down as everyone moved to look at the screens. Tony, Natasha, and Clint seemed to understand what they were seeing better than Steve or Thor, so the two blonds let them stand closest. "The virus has finished taking over his system. His metabolism is faster than it was from earlier, as is his neural reception."

"It went faster than expected?" Natasha asked.

Bruce shrugged. "Actually, Jarvis suggested something caused a mass change, particularly since the integration is actually more advanced than Stark's. Remember how I said that Stark now has a parallel strand of DNA?"

"Right," Clint said, nodding.

"The same strand is in Loki's DNA, except in his case, it's not parallel. They kind of exist at the same time."

"Is that possible?" Steve asked.

"I wondered the same thing, but Loki suggested something that sounded an awful lot like quantum theory."

"English, please, Doc."

"Loki suggested that one exists as our physical reality while the other exists as a possibility. The idea is that he's Asgardian or Jotun or whatever he is up until some kind of trigger or event occurs, then the Asgardian DNA is switched with the secondary DNA and he becomes that."

"What is that secondary DNA?" Natasha asked.

"I don't know. Things that exist in a quantum state exist as a supposition, or as he said, a possibility. You can't define or measure something that is only a possibility."

"So how do you even know he has the DNA?"

"We can detect it. It left an energy signature, sort of like an impression of its existence," Bruce said.

"Like walking into a room where there has been an argument and feeling the tension, even though it's empty now?" Steve asked.

Bruce blinked looking up at him. "Kind of. That's actually not bad. In any case, it's a similar idea."

"So in order to be able to try to map this DNA, we would need to see Loki in the new form and get a sample." Clint looked down at him. "Still think he's not a werewolf?"

"Why is it only my brother and not Stark who has this form of the affliction?" Thor asked.

"Because Loki tried to shape shift," Natasha said. She looked at them. "Jarvis told us all that he'd collapsed."

"That doesn't necessarily mean he tried it," Clint murmured.

"Jarvis, bring up the security footage of Loki from when he got up to collapsing," Tony said.

The screen shifted to show Loki rising from the cot to stand in the center of the containment. He closed his eyes and just stood there, looking comfortable and relaxed. Moments passed, turning to minutes, and a slow frown grew on his face. He suddenly convulsed, gasping, and collapsed to his knees on the floor. He bent over, hands clenching into fists as another shudder wracked his form. His breathing was harsh and gasping, shaking. He nearly writhed where he knelt, but he shuddered once more, leaving him panting. He briefly lifted his head, looking out into the room, and then closed them again, but not before they could see the eyes catch and reflect the dim light, nearly glowing in the dark like a cat's. Then the lights flared on and the image froze on his flinch.

"It doesn't necessarily mean he tried it, but it does seem to point that way," she said.

"So, let's say it is lycanthropy," Clint said, leaning against the consol. "I'm not saying it has to be, but it's got something to do with shape shifting from the quantum theory bullshit you just mentioned, and it's got something to do with monsters. That fits both parameters. If it is lycanthropy, then like Tasha said earlier, the first change is usually triggered by the first full moon. That hasn't happened yet."

"But Loki is a natural shape shifter," Natasha continued. "So his attempt to change his form triggered the first change, but he had the power and know-how to stop it from completely happening."

"So he would now fully be a werewolf and capable of changing, but he hasn't chosen to yet."

"While Stark still can't change because he hasn't had that first trigger yet, so the extra strand hasn't gone quantum just yet."

They all went quiet, trying to puzzle through that theory. Tony stared at them long and hard, and then scoffed. "Did you two, a spy and an assassin, seriously just try to make an argument for me to be a werewolf using quantum theory and a sorcerer?"

"It actually kind of makes sense, Tony," Bruce said, looking up at him.

"No. It doesn't make any kind of sense, because if it did, that means that Justin Hammer bioengineered a virus made infectious by magic with the capabilities of quantum existence triggered by sunlight reflected off of a celestial body approximately two hundred and thirty-four thousand miles away from us." He sounded a bit panicked at the thought.

"Well, when you put it that way," Clint said dryly.

"I doubt Hammer was the one who developed the virus," Natasha said. "SHIELD is trying to find out who did so they can pinpoint what the intention was. Is this supported by the intel we gathered at the facility?"

"I'll have to go back over what we have," Bruce said, rubbing his eyes. "See if Fury is ready to give me everything he has."

"What about Loki?" Steve said. Everyone looked at Clint.

"Why are you looking at me?" he asked, rising with a bit of alarm.

"This is your show, Barton," Steve said with a smile. "You seem to know more about this than the rest of us. What do you think he's going to do, based on what you know?"

Clint frowned, looking back down to the image of the huddled trickster god. "Well," he said warily. "It's hard to say because it's not a natural thing, but so far they both have been exhibiting some wolf-like behavior."

"Did you work that out all by yourself?" Tony asked caustically.

"Stark." Steve's voice was a warning.

"Wolves are pack animals," Clint continued. "That would explain why Loki came to Avengers Tower to begin with. We're the only people he knows on Earth, or at least the closest. He'll either go to an ally, or he'll try to go rogue and avoid us until he can get a handle on the urge to make us pack."

"Where would he go for that?"

Clint shrugged. "Beats me. I'd say far away from us, but it depends on how much control he has and how bad the draw for pack is for werewolves as opposed to natural wolves. I'm not sure what we can do. Searching for Loki hasn't been very successful so far. Of course, he and Stark are the only werewolves that we know of; they might actually be drawn to each other."

Tony had closed his eyes, turning away from the group and leaning against the counter in front of him. He didn't want to hear how Loki was out there, alone, or how he'd been practically violated yet again in the name of this industry. Finally, he punched the screen in front of him, angry and frustrated. It shattered, slicing up his hand, and made everyone jump. "I am NOT a werewolf," he snarled. He shoved by them, storming to the elevator. His head hurt, his skin practically itching, and he wanted to howl in frustration over his helplessness. He felt violated by Hammer, abandoned by Loki, and so very angry either of them got to him.

"Stark!" he heard Steve call out behind him, but he just got into the elevator.

"Jarvis, penthouse, then lock it down. I don't want company right now."

"Sir, are you sure that's wise?"

"Just do it, Jarvis," he snarled. He paced the elevator as it glided up, then stalked out. He wanted to find Loki, to hurt that little shit, but most of all, he was scared, and he hated it. Hadn't he suffered enough? Did they think he liked having his little nightlight in his chest? As if that didn't make him inhuman enough, now they thought he was a werewolf? How was he supposed to twist this? To fix this?

"Dr. Banner is requesting access to the penthouse," Jarvis told him.

"No!" Tony nearly screamed. A small part of him realized he was panicking, his reactions out of control, but he couldn't seem to get a grip. Every time he tried, the thought that Loki had all but broke his word and left so casually made him want to rage all the more. He paced into the middle of the room, fingers rubbing his eyes, the hum of the arc reactor singing through his pounding blood, unable to stand still, unable to keep control. It was just too much. The rage and frustration over the past two days finally broke the dam he'd built inside and he screamed, collapsing to his knees. It felt like his body was trying to tear him apart, everything shattering, detonating like a missile, shrapnel sliding through him all over again. He sobbed, and then screamed again, his voice sounding foreign in his ears with the rush of blood from his racing heart. Then it was over, the pain gone, and he panted, closing his eyes with a soft whine.

"Tony!" he heard Bruce call out, the man moving into the room. His voice sounded thready with fear, too close to losing his own control. Dimly, Tony wondered when he'd given Jarvis the okay to let him in. "To-- oh... oh my god."

Tony panted and lifted his head to look at him. Bruce was pale with shock, the others boiling in behind him.

"Wha--" Steve drew to a sudden halt behind Bruce, just staring. "Oh," he said, almost breathlessly.

"Boy, I hate being right," Clint muttered.

Tony tiredly asked what they were talking about, but all he heard was a soft huff and a whine. He shook his head and looked at his hands... paws? He stared at them dumbly for a second, and then slowly rose. He turned, trying to look at himself. Unable to, he moved over to a reflective surface, his teammate's eyes following him. He was large, fur a deep, dark brown, his eyes almost glowing gold and simmering with human intelligence. He was actually pretty damn good looking, he thought, preening slightly as he nosed the fur on his flank. Clint had been right; he was a fucking werewolf.

Well, how about that?


	13. Part Thirteen

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm updating a little early because I won't be able to tomorrow.

The human city was riddled beneath the ground with tunnels of all sorts. Some of them were used, noisy with transportation and other human activity. Some of them were far more quiet but no more empty. The lost and forgotten of the city had slid beneath the surface, claiming the abandoned underworld as their own. Between them, the transient travelers from above, and the noise and stench of transport and waste both, it was hard to find a decent place to rest, tucked safely away in the ground, but find one Loki did. It was cold and dark, no light to be found except that which he made with his magic. There was also no food or fresh water, a problem that he might be able to ignore for a few days. A part of him longed for the little space he'd found beneath Stark Tower, the location warm, hidden, and safe, but he bared his teeth at the thought of returning. The Avengers had found him there before, and he did not want to be found again.

He curled up in the darkness and cast his light so that he could look at his hands. The weapon of Hammer's had worked. He had known when the beast had rippled under his skin, longing to be free. More than ever now, Loki knew he did not belong, and he was starting to get tired of that fact. Was it not enough that he was born of the greatest enemies of Asgard, from the loins of their very king? Was it not enough that his entire life had been a lie, a fantasy woven with kind words and a guiding hand? Was it not yet enough that he had little places he could turn to go and no one he could turn to? Apparently the Norns had not yet had their fill of his misfortune. Now the alchemical experiments of a mortal infested his body and made him even more a creature than he was before. He felt tainted, sullied, and it was a ridiculously frustrating that it had come from some asinine Midgardian.

Perhaps worse than that was the fact that, in the moments after he had gained his silver edge of control over the beast that was now a part of him, he had longed for the companionship of the beast that was their doctor. He had not wanted to be alone, to figure it out. He had wanted to feel safe while he got himself sorted and the Avengers and their tower made him feel that way.

They were not his allies! Surely this creature knew that? They found him as monstrous as the rest of the Nine Realms. He was evil and destructive, Chaos Incarnate, and there could be no mercy by them, nor did he want their pity. He wanted... he wanted to belong, with them and to them but specifically to Tony.

That was the thing that frustrated him the most. This imbecilic creature actually wanted to be controlled by a human. Control or be controlled, but the desire was to be controlled, to not have to think anymore about where he was safe and what to do next. He actually longed to let someone else make those decisions for a time, and he wanted to howl in rage at the thought. Tony was not safe. He was not going to protect him. Damn that moron Hammer for this curse.

He had needed to leave. He couldn't stand the thought that he might crawl to Tony. The very thought left him pulling painfully at his hair in frustration. He left because he needed to control this, and he could not do that while the temptation was so great. He didn't anticipate how much it hurt to be away. It was hard to be comfortable, hard to feel safe, hard to lay still and close his eyes to sleep. The wolf longed to slip his skin, to use its fur to be warm, but he did not trust that the wolf would not try to return. He was the same as the wolf, but their desires were so different that it often felt they were two in the same body.

No matter. Loki would not return to them, a pitiful animal crawling for a gentle touch. He would master this, and he would not allow the beast to rule until he had.

~~~

Tony was actually pretty damn calm, strangely. It didn't feel weird at all to be a wolf. It was like he'd done this all his life and just now remembered that he had. Bruce had wanted to take him down to the lab to get samples, so he'd calmly followed in the elevator. He knew how to change back, knew it was simple, but it was important to know if he was infectious in this form or not.

Only Thor had climbed into the elevator with them. Despite the fact that Loki was also infected, Bruce still suspected that Asgardians could not catch it due to how hard Loki's body had fought against it. Steve had not wanted Bruce alone with Tony in this form, not just yet, so Thor ended up following. The rest of them would take the next elevator down.

Once they reached the common floor, Tony padded into the medical ward and easily jumped up onto a gurney. He laid down and watched Bruce as the doctor put on his glasses and some nitrile gloves. They waited for the others, and then Bruce glanced at Clint. "So, how is this normally transmitted?" Somehow, Clint had become their resident werewolf expert.

"Um... I guess being bitten or mauled."

Bruce nodded. "That's what I thought. Tony, can you understand me?"

Tony looked up at him and raised one eyebrow. It was amazing how expressive that was on a wolf's face.

"I'll take that as a yes," Bruce said dryly. "I'm going to take samples of your blood, claws, and saliva. Got it?"

Tony wanted to flip him off but settled for giving him a bored huff and opening his mouth for the man. Bruce grabbed a swab, gathering some of the saliva around his eyeteeth while Clint whistled.

"That's a lot of sharp teeth," he said, sounding a little worried. "We're your pals, right, Stark?"

Tony grinned at him, which had the fortunate effect of baring his teeth at Clint. The marksman raised his eyebrows.

Tony remained still while Bruce took a scraping from under his claws, and then carefully drew Tony's blood. "Sorry Stark," he apologized. "I'm not used to drawing blood from a wolf."

Tony just shrugged. When Bruce finished, he sat up. The same shivery feeling slid over his skin, like molten metal and electricity glided under it. This time, it actually felt almost good. When everything settled, Tony was kneeling on the gurney, very naked.

"Wow," Steve breathed as everyone stared at him.

Tony gave him a cocky grin, looking himself over. "Yeah, I impress me too, sometimes."

That definitely broke the tension. Steve sighed, looking away, although his cheeks colored in a blush. Thor laughed, while Clint muttered something about getting over himself. Natasha gave him a frank once-over but grabbed a pair of the hospital clothes for him to pull on.

"Thank you, Agent Romanoff," he said, standing and pulling on the pants.

"So, you can choose to do that?" Bruce asked. "You can control it?"

"I could just then, but I didn't choose for it to happen upstairs. I think it would be more difficult under some circumstances," Tony said, shrugging. "I'll have to experiment with it."

"What's it like?" Clint asked with curious eagerness.

Tony considered, but then shrugged again. "I don't know. It feels natural, like a part of me finally woke up and is working again."

"And the arc reactor? It didn't bother you?" Bruce asked, glancing up from where he was working.

Tony looked down, tapping his fingers thoughtfully against the glow. "No. Didn't make it any more difficult to move. It wasn't exactly natural, but it didn't bother me as a wolf any more than it bothers me as a human. I'm used to it."

"Is there anything you can tell us that might be useful?" Steve asked him.

Tony cocked his head. "What do you mean?"

Steve looked at the others, thinking carefully. "Well, you were displaying un-Tony-like behavior before you..." He gestured up and down to Tony's body, "actually changed. Is there anything we need to know?"

"I think what he's trying to ask is if there are any instincts or drives that you're having right now that you think might be a problem for the team while we try to sort this out," Natasha clarified. Steve nodded, pointing at her.

Tony crossed his arms, thinking for a moment as he looked around at all of them. "Well," he said slowly. "I'm a little uncomfortable with you all surrounding me."

"Why?" Clint asked.

"Because it doesn't feel safe." He frowned, his eyes down as he tried to sort it out. "I... I trust you, but that's my brain saying that you deserve my trust. You know how you can absolutely believe you're safe but you still can't shake that itchy feeling in your gut that something bad is going to happen? It's like that."

They all took a bit of a step back, moving so that they weren't surrounding Tony. Natasha gestured Thor over to stand with her and Clint, since he had inadvertently put himself between Tony and the door. "Is there anything we can do to help with that?" Steve asked, concerned. "We won't work well as a team if you don't feel safe around us."

"I thought you would, though," Clint said. "I mean, aren't wolves pack animals, or is that just not an instinct of yours?"

Tony hopped back up onto the table to sit and think, letting the idea of a pack roll around in his mind. He wasn't entirely sure how it worked amongst natural wolves, not being much of an animal person. He liked having the team around him, but when he thought about them all as a pack, it didn't seem right. "It's not... we're a team," he said, trying to figure out how to put it into words. "Not a pack. There's a difference, but I couldn't tell you what."

"Well, one thing to remember is that wolf packs have a structured hierarchy," Bruce said, looking at him. "We don't. We pretty much follow Rogers' orders, not because he's a captain, but because he has tactical training and experience leading a team. We don't have an established hierarchy of domination and submission."

"Why is that important?" Clint asked. "I mean, it get it amongst wolves; they need it for survival. They need to know who to look to during a hunt for instructions. How is that important for werewolves?"

"Why should it be any different?" Tony asked without really thinking about it. He looked up, his eyes focusing on Clint as he considered him. "Loki tried to dominate you earlier today."

Clint paled slightly. "Yeah, thanks for the reminder," he grumbled.

"Why?" Bruce asked, wondering where Tony was going with this.

"It had to be because he'd controlled him before," Tony answered, thinking. It was really hard to pick this apart and put it into words. "Loki had commanded him before and believed he could do it again."

"I do not understand," Thor said, looking confused.

"He's working it out," Natasha murmured. "Let him finish."

Tony was not good at thinking about human relationships. He understood computers and machines. He couldn't think about his relations to the others, but he could think about Loki's. "Wolf instinct is to have a pack. They always do. You very rarely hear of a wolf without a pack. But Loki is a loner. He doesn't play well with others. He used magic the first time he wanted to control Barton. This time, he tried sheer domination. He didn't have the staff to do it, but that doesn't matter anyways. The question isn't how he did it, but why?" He stood, starting to pace. He was on a roll. "Like we said, he's a loner. Why would he want to have Barton around? Is it because of the pack thing? Maybe. But why is the pack so important? Why is it so necessary to have Barton around?"

"It would be a blow to us," Steve said slowly.

"But he was in our tower, under our control," Tony pointed out. "It wouldn't have hurt us because Barton wouldn't have been going anywhere. We wouldn't have let him go, so why do it?"

They were quiet for a moment before Clint looked up. "Why did you defend me?" he asked. "You two practically fought over me. Why?"

Tony paused, looking at him. "Um... because you're my teammate?"

"No, I mean, why fight him at all?" Clint asked. "Not that I wanted him to... dominate me or whatever he was trying, but you weren't protecting me. You said so yourself. We're in your tower, under lock and key. If Loki had won that argument, what would have happened?"

"He would have had you bring him more food, then probably had taken you with him into the containment with him," Natasha said. "It was where he felt the safest."

"And then?" Clint asked. "He wasn't going to eat me or hurt me. You guys wouldn't let him. So, what then? Since we're looking at his motivation and all."

Tony considered that. "He would have... he might have taunted you. Talked to you."

"And then?"

A frowned pulled at his mouth. "Nothing. I mean, the most he would have done is..." That couldn't be right, but that was what he gut was telling him.

"What?" Steve said.

"Well... cuddle, as strange as that sounds. I mean, hold Clint while sleeping and such."

Clint's eyebrows went up. "Alright. Spooning was not the answer I was looking for. I'm seriously creeped out now."

"Why would he want to do that?" Natasha asked.

"Because keeping Barton close would make it easier to protect him," Tony said. "And it would be comforting to Loki. That's why he wants a pack, and why you're not my pack." He looked a little surprised as he raised his eyes to look at them. "The dominant members of the pack protect the submissive members of the pack and, in return, the dominant wolves take comfort in the presence of the submissives. The hierarchy tells you who you protect and who protects you, and thus who you are allowed to touch for comfort, and who you have to ask permission to gain comfort from."

"But we all protect each other," Steve said.

"That's why it doesn't work," Tony replied. "If both Thor and Barton are in trouble, then I have to choose which one to help and abandon the other, or think of something else, and whoever I don't pick might feel resentful. But in a pack, if I'm dominant to Barton and Thor to me, then it's my responsibility to protect Barton, and Thor knows to help himself because he can't have me risking my life and Barton's trying to help him. There's no resentment, because that is the way it's supposed to work."

"And then there's the comfort thing," Bruce said slowly. "If you're dominant to Barton, then when you're upset, you can walk up to him, grab him, and sit down with him and you already know it's okay; you're safe with him. You don't have to worry about being rejected."

"But that's not how this team works," Tony said. "I mean, we have a crown prince, a captain, two assassins, a man who sees himself as a danger to others, and a loner. We work together from need and because we kind of like each other now, but we are still a group of loners. Who would be king of the mountain in this?"

"And where would Loki fit in?" Steve asked. Everyone turned, staring at him in shock. "Guys, there are only two werewolves in the world. Tony is one, Loki is the other. No one in the world is going to understand the desire for a pack like they would."

"It doesn't mean I want him as a pack," Tony said, frowning.

"But if he is in a pack, then he won't hurt the pack. If he's not in a pack... what's it like for a lone wolf?"

Tony involuntarily shuddered. "I... I actually can't imagine that," he said, not liking where this was going. "Are you suggesting we start picking out curtains or something, Rogers?"

"No," Steve said, exasperated. "But we do need to keep in mind that a pack might be a goal of his, and where will he get one?"

That did leave them all to wonder. There was nowhere Loki could go. He had no allies, and the closest he had to family left was Thor.

"It might not be that much of an issue," Bruce said slowly. "We don't know how much of a drive either of them will have to claim a pack. My best suggestion would be to let SHIELD look for Loki while we help Tony. If we can get Tony's needs figured out, then we'll be better able to handle Loki if and when he's found."


	14. Part Fourteen

It actually went much smoother than anyone expected. The test results from Tony's wolf form showed infectious viral material in his saliva and his claws, but it only activated when it made direct contact with blood. In other words, Tony had to bite or maul someone while in wolf form to pass on the virus. It was ridiculously difficult to catch; despite the infectious nature of the virus, Bruce had been unable to reproduce infection in a laboratory setting. He suspected that, should Tony injure someone, it would be terribly unlikely they would catch the virus, but that was not a chance anyone wanted to experiment with.

Tony was changed, and it was noticeable. He wasn't particularly gracious with SHIELD or Fury at the best of times, but when they finally told Fury what they'd discovered, the man had insisted on having his own tests run. Tony had felt caged in the laboratory, and unnerved having people he didn't know poke and prod him. When his patience had ended, he'd firmly informed them he was done and went to leave. Fury had told him that, no, he wasn't done, and the fight had come terrifyingly close to bloodshed. They'd learned that day that, when the gold ring in Tony's eyes swallowed up the brown that the wolf was rising to the surface and all ordinary humans needed to hit the deck. They also learned, somewhat unfortunately, that one should not run from Tony anymore than one should run from the Hulk. It excited the predator in him far too much, and it had taken more effort than was comforting to pull him away from the technician he'd chased.

Tony also seemed to be far more empathic with the people around him, which puzzled them at first. He knew when to push and tease and taunt, and then he knew when to stop in a way that he hadn't before. He could rile a person, but rarely stepped over the line. On the few times he had, he'd immediately silenced and left the person alone, giving them space. It was usually at least an hour before he tried approaching again, and there was something about the way he did it that was careful, like he was testing the waters to see if all was well. His new empathy had left them in silent confusion until, one day, Bruce had come painfully close to Hulking out. Somehow, Tony had known and had talked to Bruce, asking him questions and making off-hand comments until the danger had passed. When he'd been asked about it later, it had been difficult for Tony to answer. Apparently, the hormonal changes in the body from emotional reactions, coupled with Tony's sharpened senses, allowed him an insight into how they were feeling based on their scent. They'd tested that, pitting Natasha against Tony, and it had unnerved the spy to find out that he could detect her lies eight times out of ten. Everyone respected why that would bother her, but no one understood exactly until she'd said, "If Stark can do that, imagine what Loki can do."

Loki was a topic they all tended to avoid. Not hide nor hair nor scrap of fur had been seen of the sorcerer since he'd disappeared that night. There were no sightings of unusual dogs, or unusual disappearances, or any mayhem that might have something to do with Loki. For all they knew, he might not even be on Earth anymore.

For the most part, the werewolf aspect was weird, but there were only three serious issues to come of it. The first was Tony's territorialism. Tony, as always, seemed very comfortable with the other Avengers and their presence in his tower. He did not question what they did on their private floors or insist on changing the security so that he could restrict their access to places or grant him greater access. SHIELD, however, was another story. After the tension between Fury and Tony, it wasn't much of a surprise that Tony denied Fury access to his property. Fury was not welcome anywhere in or on Stark Tower. That had surprised no one. What had been a bit shocking was that the rest of SHIELD was included in that sweeping decision. No SHIELD agents were allowed anywhere on the premises. The only exceptions to that rule were Natasha and Clint because they were members of the team and had their own floors. It had put the two agents into the position where they had to report to Fury what happened inside the tower. Tony hadn't seemed the least bit bothered by that. "By all means, report," Tony had said. "Tell him everything; tell him nothing. I don't really care. Far be it for me to tell two experienced spies what they should and should not put in their reports. My only restriction is that you can't send him surveillance you get from Jarvis. You want to record our activities, you have to hold the camcorder."

This had, of course, driven Fury nuts. He'd called a meeting at one of their offices and had a long talk with them all. Tony had not backed down an inch. "Look, sure, it puts you in an awkward position. I know that it probably causes trouble for you with your little council or whoever it is that pulls your shadowy government strings. The fact is that the tower is mine and I don't trust you. I won't have you in there making me or any of the rest of us feel like we need to look over our shoulders and double guess everything when we want to stay there. My den, my rules, and until you can learn to stop manipulating us, that's the way it's going to be."

The second problem, and one that had been far more serious at the time, was the Iron Man suit. Tony couldn't wear it. He'd tried one day, and the panic had slowly settled into his bones until Jarvis had finished placing him into the final piece. He'd managed to hold on long enough to breathe, "Get it off," and have Jarvis remove it without ripping himself out of it.

It was a cage to him, claustrophobic and entrapping. He hadn't felt more safe; he'd felt less. He hadn't been able to smell, to hear, to properly see. It hadn't even occurred to him that he wouldn't be able to be Iron Man any more, and he wanted to howl in rage.

Jarvis had alerted, of all people, Natasha, and she'd gone upstairs to try to calm him down. She'd stayed well out of his reach, her voice calm as she talked him through his anger. She was the best with words, the best with, if not understanding, then looking into her opponents mind and feeding them what they wanted to hear while maneuvering them to where she wanted them. She manipulated his fears and rage without ever negating them, helping him to slowly turn that ire away from the desire to hunt Hammer down and rip him apart and turning it toward the building of a new suit. When he snarled at her, pointing out he couldn't make the suit lighter or less enclosing because then it wouldn't be enough armor to protect him, she'd raised a single eyebrow. "Stark, you're a werewolf," she said dryly. "What do you need armor for?"

He'd froze, staring at her. "Jarvis," he'd snapped. "New project folder on my private server. Mark VIII. Give me the plans for the Mark VII." He immediately turned to his work bench and began working, allowing Natasha to leave unscathed. Several hours later, Bruce had finally gone up to make sure Tony ate and to let the man explain what he'd accomplished.

The results of the remodel of the suit had been dramatically different. He still had the helmet, but there were vents he could open and close to allow him air. The eyes had been replaced with a larger, reinforced panel so he could see better. The repulsors were more like decorations on his hands than actual gloves, allowing him his claws if he needed them, the armor more like panels than full plate. It left the joints more vulnerable, which had surprised them, but then he'd shocked them by demonstrating how he could now move. He was a lot more dexterous than they'd known. He still had plenty of his weapons, but he could move, and didn't feel quite so trapped.

The third problem, and by far the most difficult to deal with, was Tony's need for a pack. He was very good with the team, trying hard to suppress any urges he had to try and dominate. He didn't demand or even ask that they figure out some kind of hierarchy with him, although he did joke once or twice about bowing down to him. The real strain had come when it was time to explain to Pepper and Happy what had happened. Tony didn't like to admit it out loud, but they were the closest he had to any kind of a family, both having been with him for years. When the situation was explained to them, Pepper and Happy had looked at each other in disbelief, and Tony had been able to smell their fear. He had not liked having to ask them if they trusted him enough to be pack, his tone very casual and matter-of-fact, as if it was no big deal to him if they refused. They'd asked for time to think about it.

He had, of course, granted the request, and then had locked himself in his workshop to continue to work on the Mark VIII suit. He would spend hours in there, but he had developed the habit of going down to the common room at least once a day to talk or even sit quietly and play with something on his tablet. He just seemed to need the presence of others. One day, Steve had gone to the workshop to see how Tony was doing while Pepper and Happy considered the request. Voices had stopped him. He'd looked over, silent and hidden in the shadows, to see Tony sitting in a chair, leaning back and looking up at the ceiling as he conversed with Jarvis. They were talking about the suit, but it was idle talk, Tony thinking out loud and Jarvis answering the questions he'd posed. What had surprised Steve the most was the way that, as he'd asked the AI pointless questions, his fingers had absently moved over the equipment on the desk, over monitor, keyboard, and mouse, stroking absently.

Steve had left without a word, thinking over what he saw. He mentioned it to the others, not wanting to invade Tony's privacy, but each of them seemed to have certain insights into his actions. The only thing they could come up with was that the AI was the closest thing to a pack Tony had yet, and it was almost heartbreaking to think that the man who had once been able to spend days with nothing but his ideas and tools for company was that painfully lonely.

Fortunately, the next day, Pepper and Happy had each come back on their own, having decided for their own reasons that it was worth it. The team had been allowed to see what had happened following their agreement. Tony had approached each of them, and both Pepper and Happy had bared their necks to him. With Happy, Tony had leaned in. It looked like Tony had kissed his neck, breathing deeply of Happy's scent, but then he'd backed up, reaching a hand up and putting it on Happy's shoulder. He'd talked a moment or two with his companion about the vehicles and events coming up and how Happy was doing, Tony's hand on him the entire time, then Tony had patted his back and continued with what he'd been working on.

Pepper had been a little different. As before, Tony had moved in. She had met and held his eyes for a moment, but then looked away and bared her throat. Tony had later explained that he understood that as a warning not to hurt her, that she was submitting but not because she was less than him. He'd sounded disgustingly pleased when he'd informed them of that. Tony had leaned in and ran his nose over her neck, breathing in her scent, and seemed to shudder. The act was intimate enough that Steve had looked away. Tony had then leaned in and kissed the pulse in her neck, then licked it, nuzzling her. Very soon after that, Jarvis had cut off the feed, telling them the rest was not part of the lesson.

The first time Tony had been out with the group again in his new suit had been a spectacular event. They never had any control over the Hulk, but something had happened that had driven him wild. Thor had moved to engage him, trying to limit the damage, but Tony had got there first, growling. The Iron Man faceplate was up, and they could see Tony's eyes were a brilliant gold, teeth sharp in his snarl. He'd squared off against the Hulk, the much larger creature roaring his rage, but Tony just snarled in answer, not backing down. They had circled each other for a long moment before the Hulk's eyes had narrowed. Tony had pointed, growling, "Smash that way," and the Hulk had taken off, obeying him. It had clearly been a battle for dominance similar to between Tony and Loki, and they were all a little surprised when Tony had won. That evening, Bruce, after having slept for ages, had timidly approached Tony. The werewolf had been on the couch, explaining to Clint an arrowhead he could design that made the marksman's eyes glitter with excitement, but paused when he felt Bruce approach. Tony looked at him, concerned.

"What's wrong?" he said, looking Bruce over and taking a subtle sniff.

"I've been thinking about this afternoon," he said. "And... well... it just... it makes sense to me to..."

Tony glanced at the others, who were also equally confused. "Banner, it's fine. That happens. No one was hurt."

Bruce simply took a deep breath, and then tipped his head, offering his throat.

Everyone froze. So far, none of the Avengers had submitted or challenged Tony, and he hadn't insisted. "Bruce," Tony said, his voice sounding a bit strained. "You don't have to do that."

"I know."

"What you're offering-"

"Is my submission and to be a member of your pack. It's my choice to make, and I'm choosing to make it."

Tony had hesitated, but it was obvious that the werewolf desperately wanted to accept. Finally, he leaned in. The rest of the team watched as Tony simply laid his teeth against the pulse in Bruce's throat, then followed the curve up to bury his nose in the thick, dark hair just behind Bruce's ear. He let out a shuddering breath, and then backed away, his hand reaching out to pull Bruce onto the couch. "What do you think about an electrical arrow?" he asked, pulling Bruce to sit next to him and turning back to his conversation with Clint.

"I think Barton will electrocute himself," Bruce said, his own voice a little shaky.

"Hey!" Clint said, taking the opening to break the tension. They went back to acting as if nothing had happened, although Tony spent a lot more time in contact with Bruce.

For a while after that, they all watched to see what happened. Tony seemed to open up around Bruce in a way that they hadn't expected. He took at least one opportunity to touch Bruce every time he was near him, if only to brush against him, and he seemed to like it when Bruce did the same. He didn't stroke the human, or play with his hair, or treat him like a pet. He simply wanted to make contact. In fights, Tony always seemed to know exactly where the Hulk was, although he didn't spend a lot of time trying to protect him. He did, however, direct him once or twice, just to help ease the amount of damage the Hulk did. The huge, green creature didn't seem to mind. Tony didn't get in the way of Steve giving out the orders, although the Hulk always glanced first at Tony before taking off. After every fight, Tony always checked on Bruce to make sure he was recovering and had switched back.

The next person to give in was actually Steve. He and Tony got into a heated argument after a battle one day about a risk that Clint had taken. Steve had started to argue with Clint about what had happened, the archer defending himself, and Tony had casually suggested for Steve to lighten up. That had the result of having Tony and Steve arguing with each other, Tony suggesting that it was Clint's life to throw away if he wanted to and that Steve didn't get to make that call.

"Would you feel the same way if he was in your pack?" Steve had said, his voice hard.

"If he was in my pack, I'd have dropped what I was doing to help him regardless of who else was going to get hurt," Tony said. "But he's not mine."

"He's your teammate!"

"That doesn't make a difference, Rogers! What, do you want to be next in line? Bare your throat to me just because you're my teammate?" Tony snarled angrily. "Do I like it this way? No! But this is how I have to do it!"

"That doesn't mean you shouldn't care if someone dies."

Tony just shook his head, incensed. He did not like to walk away from an argument, but he was going to lash out if he didn't. He was just too angry. He backed away. "I'm not discussing this with you right now," he said, his voice low as he tried to remain calm.

"It actually isn't any of your business to get involved anyways," Steve said. "Or do you only protect your team's egos and not their lives?"

Tony had moved before he even thought about it. He swung at Steve, but the blond dodged, grabbing his wrist and stepping behind him to twist his arm up in a grip. Tony growled low in his throat. Without even hesitating, he turned then sharply pulled, popping his own shoulder out of joint so that he could reach the collar of Steve's shirt. He threw the soldier one-handed, sending Steve crashing down onto the table. Tony was there, straddling Steve, his dominant arm limp and useless, but the other clawed hand grasping him threateningly around his throat. Tony's eyes were gold, his snarl fanged, and his claws were gentle enough not to break the skin, but firm enough to prove his point.

"Am I supposed to bare my throat to you?" he asked softly, not wanting to do so.

"Shut up, Rogers!" Tony snarled. He was breathing hard, way too fucking hard, but he wasn't making any kind of demands. He actually seemed to be trying to get himself under control. It was only then that Steve realized how hard Tony was fighting to not force a submission from him and calm down the angry wolf. He could get away with not submitting, but it would create tension in the team. Tony shouldn't have gotten involved in the argument, but Steve shouldn't have started it to begin with. To be honest, Tony was also the closest thing Steve had to family anymore anyways.

Steve started to move, but Tony snarled. "It's okay, Tony," Steve said softly. He held out his hands, showing he meant no harm, and slowly tipped his head to bare his throat.

After a single blink of surprise, Tony moved in. He didn't give Steve an out, and he didn't just touch with his teeth. He bit, but not hard enough to live a mark. He bit and growled, and it sent a shiver of fear through Steve. He trusted Tony, but there might still be a problem. However, after a moment, Tony closed his mouth and nosed his hair like he had Bruce's. He backed up and crawled off, cradling his dislocated arm to himself.

"Here," Clint said, stepping forward to help. Tony bared his teeth, making the archer hesitate, but then Clint sighed. "Yeah, yeah, fine, but let me set your arm first. Who knows what your crazy healing will do?"

Tony actually looked puzzled enough that he didn't object to Clint taking his arm. He yelped in pain when it finally popped back into place, his eyes still not leaving Clint. The other man wiped his hands on his pants almost nervously, sighed, but then also offered his throat.

"Clint?" Natasha asked, a little alarmed.

"If he's going to keep fighting with people over me, might as well give him a reason."

"Barton-" Tony started.

"Can it, Stark. Besides, the way I see it is, if Tasha's in trouble, I can run to save her, and you can save me, so she gets the benefits without the drawbacks."

"My hero," she said dryly, eyes narrowed.

"Most of all, I'm getting tired of being treated like the bottom of this totem pole. The pack is a hierarchy, right? Well, maybe I can move up, and it will definitely make Loki think twice about trying to pull the same stunt as before."

That definitely got Tony moving. He stepped in, putting his mouth to Clint's throat as he had the others.

That left only Natasha and Thor. Natasha eventually did submit as well after she and Tony ended up working together to work over a spy for Viper. She had done most of the talking, and he had given her little signals when her fishing wasn't hitting the mark. She didn't need the help, but it did make it faster. Afterward, she had walked up to Tony and slapped him, challenging him to a hand-to-hand fight for dominance in the pack. It had actually been a surprisingly even fight; Tony was faster and stronger, but Natasha had far more skill than he did. It had been a close thing, but she had finally yielded rather than let him break her leg.

When they'd both finally rose, panting and straightening their clothes, Tony had finally looked at her. "What the hell, Tasha?"

She'd snorted. "You want my throat, Stark, you have to earn it."

Tony insisted that the humans of the pack get to know one another so that they could recognize each other. This mostly meant insisting that Happy and Pepper hung out with them on occasion. Slowly, they maneuvered their way into an actual hierarchy. Tony was, obviously, the pack leader. By general consensus, Pepper was second in command. She couldn't have lasted a second in a fight with any of them, nor did she want to, but she could kick ass and take names in her own way. Besides, if anyone needed something, Pepper was the one who could generally get it, so they jokingly called her pack Mommy. After Pepper (and the real second-in-command) came Steve, followed hotly by Natasha. It had actually become a game between the two to fight for the position, and so it flip-flopped. Since Steve was still the team captain, he was generally accepted to be second-in-command, but Natasha was the one Tony threatened to sic on people who broke the rules. Next came Clint, who was definitely pleased not to be the omega, and then Bruce, since he was an Avenger. No one expected the Hulk to obey the hierarchy, so they didn't take that part into consideration. The low man on the totem pole ended up being Happy. He had considered trying to fight his way higher like Natasha and Steve did, but then he would have to fight Bruce. The fact that Bruce was an Avenger gave him a graceful out to that problem. Once, Clint had offered Happy a fight if it would make the man feel better. He then proceeded to wipe the floor with the other man. Pepper had looked a bit cross, but Clint hadn't broken anything but his pride so Tony found it hysterical.

Six months after the infection, the only person who hadn't joined the pack was Thor, and honestly, everyone was okay with that. Thor wasn't from Earth, and while they definitely would have welcomed him, it would have grated badly on Tony to not know what was happening with the god when he was off-realm.

Then Doom attacked the city, and it all went downhill.


	15. Part Fifteen

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another little cliffie. :)

The team responded to a series of attacks by Doctor Victor von Doom around downtown, where as attacks by Doom meant fighting mechanical creepers and what seemed to be a couple of Doombots. Tony was the one in the air taking the first swing at the Doombots. Thanks to his new senses, he could tell the moment he got close whether or not it was the real thing. Dr. Doom had flesh and blood and the decoys didn't, so he could smell the difference. This made things only slightly easier. The not knowing left a certain hesitation, since they didn't ultimately want to kill Doom, but knowing they were decoys meant they could engage with the intent to destroy.

Not long into the fight, however, Clint noticed a flicker of green around a corner not far from the fighting.

"That could be the real Doom," Tony commented, firing his repulsors at a flying spiderbot that had jets on all eight legs. Seriously, how creepy was that?

"If not, we'll know soon enough," Steve replied. "Widow?"

"On it," Natasha said, already slipping her way over there. She went around the back to the door where Clint had reported the movement. The hallway was dark and silent, nothing there to indicate that someone had entered, if not for the broken door jam. The door had been locked with a dead bolt and it appeared as if someone had simply ripped it open without bothering to unlock it. "The lock is broken," she murmured before stepping inside.

"Iron Man, be prepared to back her up if she needs it."

"Just give the word, Red," Tony replied.

Natasha crept inside the building, gun at the ready as she moved soundlessly through the halls. Everything was silent at first, the noise of the battle outside distant as she moved through. She heard the soft brush of fabric off to the right and turned a corner, tracking her prey. Further down the hall, the edge of a green cape slid around the corner and she moved cautiously. The hall led into the front room of the store, the sounds not nearly as muffled there. Standing in the center, eyes watching the fighting outside, was not Doctor Doom. A head adorned with golden horns turned from the window and Loki faced her, smiling at her confidently.

"Loki," Natasha said, meeting the man's green eyes. It took only a second for her to realize that the figure should have the ring of red around the pupil. She started to whirl but was slammed from behind with a bone-jarring force, thrown forward through the illusion. She landed hard but training had her moving smoothly into the roll, rising with her gun. Natasha managed only a single shot before Loki's red eyes were in her face, slender fingers grasping her throat with a vice-like grip, and she was airborne again. The window of the store was far more painful to go through than the clone had been.

Natasha landed on broken glass and rocks, hissing in pain. She looked over, moving to her feet as Loki stepped out through the broken glass, making her freeze. She was familiar with the god's cold arrogance, but six months ago, things had changed. The lycanthropy had added an unseen heat, a sense of constant animation to both Tony and Loki. Tony's heat had become a boon to his charisma, lending him a magnetism that was easy to be swept away by. It had smoothed out the rough edges of his mania, allowing him to focus and react better to those around him. For Loki, it seemed to have gone terribly wrong. The arrogance was still there, but it was hot under the skin. His charisma and magnetism wove like a snake before his intended meal, deadly and helplessly hypnotic. Gone was much of the metal and bulk of his Asgardian clothing. Under his vest was a simple tunic, the wrists of his coat held in place by ties and leather, things easy to slide out of. His wolf's red eyes were startling in his face, a joyful grin flashing the tips of sharp fangs in his mouth as he slowly stalked her. When Stark hunted, he was a stalking panther, but Loki moved like an oil slick on fire, fluid in a way that was beyond even an Asgardian. Everything that had been refined and smooth was now so wild and violent that it made primal instincts for safety and protection rear in her breast and she grit her teeth, forcing herself to ignore them.

They stayed like that for a moment, the werewolf pacing in a restless, tight line as he watched her, and Natasha allowing the panicked reaction of the sight of him to fade. Then she lifted her hand to the comm. "Loki," was all she managed before he was on her. 

The bullets didn't even faze Loki and he easily tore the gun from her hand, pinning her down. Then there was fire and noise and the weight was suddenly gone as Tony rammed him, throwing him off of her.

Loki was thrown backwards by the force, but did an elegant flip in the air to land on his feet, claws sinking into the cement to slow and still his backward projection. Tony straightened himself, the faceplate of his armor retracting. "Loki. I thought we had a moment. You don't call, you don't write. I'm hurt."

Natasha stood, pulling another gun to stand behind Tony, watching the other wolf. Loki's tongue slid slowly over his lips, the grin not having faded. He looked wild and disturbed, madness darkening his eyes as they focused with maniacal intent on Tony. The changes looked to have broken the Asgardian, to the point where Natasha wasn't sure who was in control: Loki, or the wolf.

"Mr. Stark," he greeted, his voice almost a purr of pleasure. He slowly straightened. "I thought I would leave you to sort things out on your own."

"Meaning you tucked tail and ran."

Loki flashed a feral grin that looked more like a threat with the sharp incisors. "I composed myself in a less volatile territory."

"Yeah, I can see that," Tony said, gesturing vaguely at him. He tried to keep Loki's attention as the rest of the Avengers, finished with the Doombots, moved to surround them. "The insane psychopath look is very haute couture."

Loki cocked his head, amused, not at all unaware of being surrounded. The motion was disturbingly lupine. "I like your new armor, Iron Man. There are so many open joints to exploit. Did you not like your little iron cage?"

"It was a little difficult to move around in, I'll give you that," Tony said lightly, his dark eyes more intent than his tone belied, "but I adapted. It's a habit. So..." He looked around at all the destruction, eyes lingering on a still-sparking Doombot. "Doom, huh?"

Loki blinked before his eyes slid down to the bot. "It does appear that way, doesn't it?"

Tony couldn't help but make a face. "Well... he's a king; you want to be king. I suppose it's a thing." At Loki's confused expression, he continued. "Still, I can't imagine being cuddly with all of that metal."

Loki blinked at him. Quite suddenly, he tossed his head back and laughed. It wasn't anything he'd seen the man do before and, judging by Thor's bemused expression, it wasn't his normal laugh. There was something carefree, joyous, and desperately unhinged in it. His smirk was sly as he refocused on Tony. "And I suppose your suit is so much more comfortable."

"Well, at least it comes off." He wasn't sure what Loki found amusing about this and knowing the other wolf was laughing at him made feel itchy and irritable. He had to fight the urge to bare his teeth.

The return smile was taunting. "Parts of Victor's suit come off as well," Loki purred.

"Oh, God, I'm going to throw up," Clint said, sounding genuinely sick. Tony ignored him, hands clenched as he struggled to keep down his growl while Loki watched. Unfortunately, those bloody eyes were watching him intently, reading every twitch of his reaction.

"Oh, my. Is that jealousy I see, Anthony Stark?"

The goading was too much. Tony's eyes bled gold as he snarled, stalking forward to confront the wolf who had dared to destroy his territory. He saw Loki straighten as he moved forward but stilled a couple of feet away, the rage bleeding back slightly. He cocked his head, watching Loki as the other wolf also narrowed his eyes consideringly.

Tony started to slowly pace around Loki, frowning slightly as he tried to figure out what it was he knew. The other wolf mirrored him, stalking as well. "Strange. I smell Doom on you, but it's not... right."

"I smell everyone on you." The 'slut' was unspoken. "Everyone except Thor." That seemed to bother him, as if that was a puzzle he hadn't expected to encounter.

"So you lied about Doom."

Loki smirked slightly. "You assumed that I had made a deal I did not. I simply chose not to correct that belief." Frankly, he agreed with Clint. A partnership did not require that kind of connection and the idea of that metal buffoon's hands anywhere near him was shudder-worthy. He was insulted that Tony had thought he would stoop so low. He chose not to focus on that, however. He was far more interested in the fact that he could identify almost all of the scents that seemed ingrained on Tony like a faint perfume, but none of those was Thor. He could smell his brother on Tony, yes, but it wasn't the same as the others. "Thor is not part of your pack," he said thoughtfully.

Tony stilled, watching him. Everyone else blinked. "You can smell that?" Steve asked awkwardly.

Loki spared him a brief glance. "I know your scents. I recognize most of them on him. It probably has to do with the bonds of pack and how he is your alpha, but it's hard to say with him as my only example."

"I don't smell anyone on you," Tony said slowly. "Not like that, anyway."

Loki's smile was brittle and sharp, like broken glass. "I would be surprised if you did."

It made everyone still, particularly at the way Tony paled. The genius amongst them, who had never been what one would call a team player, had become far more comfortable with someone else around than by himself. He could get by with his robots, all of which he'd had shipped over from Malibu, and he could be alone without repercussions, but there reached a point where he left his labs and sought out the company of his team. The moment his fingertips grazed someone, anyone, Tony seemed immediately more grounded. They'd gotten used to the barest touch when first seeing him, as if it made him feel better to know that they were real. Even Natasha had come to expect the slight brush to her hair or shoulder when he passed by her and accepted it without complaint. It was hard to imagine Loki being so comfortable and touchy with others, but they would never have believed it of Tony, either. To think that the entire time Tony had been touching them, gaining strength and comfort from their presences as he learned what it meant to be a werewolf, but that Loki had done all of that alone, without the comfort and support of a pack, was disconcerting. It wasn't as surprising to see how unbalanced he looked.

"Brother," Thor said firmly, moving to step closer to Loki. "It is true. Though I know my welcome is sure, I have chosen not to join them in their pack."

Both Tony and Loki looked at Thor, their gaze identically intent as they studied him. "I suppose you have what you consider a brilliant reason as to why," Loki said.

"I have seen the way it calms Stark to have his people near him," Thor said. "It brings him comfort and peace-of-mind. Though they are my comrades-in-arms and we have fought side-by-side in many glorious battles, I fear their discomfort would not allow you to join in this pack. You are my brother, and I needed to make sure you could come to me without fear of rejection, should you need it."

"He would not be rejected," Tony said automatically, and then wondered for a brief moment where that had come from. This was Loki. He threw Tony out of a window, tried to subjugate the Earth, and nearly killed them all several times. But underneath the human logic, there was a deep yearning. Tony was disgustingly happy with having the Avengers around, his little pack, but none of them really understood what he needed. They just didn't get it. Hell, Tony didn't even understand it most of the time, but Loki would. Loki was Asgardian, or Jotun, or whatever the hell he was, but he was also a werewolf, the only other victim of what Hammer had done, and he was the only one with the same needs and the ability to understand them. Sure, Loki wasn't sane, and he wasn't sure he trusted the man not to injure the pack, but Tony was strangely confident that he could control Loki, and that the other wolf would be better for it. He just had to convince everyone else of it.

"Uh, yeah, sorry Stark, but you're going to have to speak for yourself on that one," Clint said, his tone hard. Tony didn't even need to look to know he had an arrow readied.

"I do not need you," Loki growled softly, his teeth bared at Tony. "Or you," he added to Thor, almost as an after-thought.

"Actually, you do" Natasha said. Loki's attention immediately swiveled to her, his eyes narrowing. It was obvious Loki considered her assessment a threat and it only took a second for Tony to realize why: Natasha was the only person who had managed to pull one over on Loki. She could read him, better than the rest of them could ever hope to.

"You might be working with Doom, but you're not bonded in any way with him," she said calmly. "You had very little to do with this attack, only gaining our attention once the battle was close to finished. You used it to get close to us, to see how many of us had joined Stark's pack. You're lonely and struggling, and you and Stark are the only ones of your kind. You're both drawn to each other. Yes, both of you," she said, glancing at Tony. "I've seen the way you absently look out the window."

"I am not a fawning kid with a crush," Tony muttered, slightly insulted.

Natasha raised a disbelieving eyebrow at him and then looked back to Loki. "You wanted to see us to prove to yourself how alone you are. You expected to find us all in the pack, because how can we be a team if we're not all in it? You thought it would push that final hope out of your mind so that you could fall completely into your insanity, maybe eventually destroy yourself and all of us with you. Instead, you found Thor waiting for you, for no other reason than he's your brother and that he loves you. You are finding that Stark needs you as much as you need him, and that doesn't sit well with you. You still have a chance, and you don't know what to do with it."

Loki's expression was still, frozen as he watched her. The red eyes never changed, but he didn't shift farther into his wolf. "Hope?" he finally said, his voice almost painfully soft. "For what? That I might have a pack with Thor, or even get to join Stark's?"

"That you have somewhere that you can belong," she answered.

His chuckle was low and condescending, as if she was a child who didn't understand. "Do I? And tell me, Madame Romanova, were I to join your welcoming pack, would you ever willingly give me your throat?" When her mouth thinned at his question, he smiled patronizingly like he wanted to pat her on the head like a good girl. "You see, were I to join your pack, as I moved up the ranks, those lesser than I would have to give me their throats in submission; to refuse is death. Who amongst you would trust me with such a thing?"

"I would," a new voice said.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all so much for your amazing feedback. I should print them out and make a little booklet of them to fan myself with whenever I'm feeling down, hehe. Seriously, though, it means a lot to me.


	16. Part Sixteen

Loki whirled, surprised at the voice behind him. Bruce stood there, having switched back from the Hulk during the calm. He clutched the torn trousers he wore to himself to preserve what decency he could, but calmly looked at the god in front of him. The rest of his team was also staring at him. "I'm not the lowest member of the pack," he said with a shrug, "so you'd have to start farther down, but I'd offer you my throat if I thought you deserved it."

"It doesn't matter if you think I deserve it. If I beat you in battle, you must offer it to me," Loki replied, frowning slightly.

It was Bruce's turn to look condescending. "Do you really think you can beat me if I don't want you to? The Other Guy wouldn't let that happen."

Loki paled, obviously remembering the last time he'd gone hand-to-hand with the Hulk, or more like hand-to-floor. He definitely wouldn't be winning any battles against Bruce. He slowly licked his lips, trying to pick his way through that. "And what of the lowest member? Surely, he would not be as willing as you."

Bruce shrugged. "Then I'll offer him my throat, let him move up, and I'll be the omega. Well, at least until you join."

That had the effect of incensing Loki. His hands tightened into fists, power curling under his skin. His aura seemed to electrify as he growled at Bruce in frustration. "That is not how it's supposed to work," he said between gritted teeth.

Bruce just shrugged again. "I'm not exactly the alpha type. I belong at the bottom. I can't help that losing a fight isn't really an option."

Tony could sympathize with Loki's impotent rage. It really wasn't a fair deal for someone having to start from the bottom. Very little of the pack structure came through battling. However, there was one small hang-up they were ignoring. "I think you're forgetting the big question here, Loki," Tony said. When the other wolf reluctantly looked back at him, he quirked an eyebrow. "I'm the alpha of this little party. Could you offer your throat to me?"

The effect of the question was electrifying. All of that frustration and rage was suddenly focused on him. He could practically see Loki's hackles rise, could smell the animosity of the other wolf. "Shall I take that as a challenge, then?" Tony asked lightly, and then snapped the faceplate down as Loki attacked, suddenly lunging forward. Fortunately, Tony had expected the move and grabbed his arm, spun, and threw him.

Loki twisted in midair and landed on his feet, crouched low, shoulders up defensively. He bared his teeth, his eyes bloody as all doubt and fear washed away in the feral instinct to defend himself coupled with Loki's gleeful pleasure in the kill. He then came up and spun. Tony darted away, but not before one throwing knife slid into his unprotected left shoulder. He pulled it out with a snarl, his eyes searching for Loki, and was struck hard in the middle of his back. He went sailing forward, also twisting to land, and felt Loki's claws rake his face.

Loki was everywhere. He'd been fast before, but now he was ridiculously quick, a darting hummingbird that Tony could barely track. He was like a dancing flame, wild, weaving, and painful, but Tony was more angry then worried. Tony hit the repulsors, taking off into the air. It forced Loki to stop for a split second to consider his plan of attack, and that let Tony take the offensive. He fired at the other wolf, and Loki danced, dodged, and did a rather elegant twist around a light pole, avoiding each strike. Tony kept on him, trying to corral him. Loki twisted again, grabbing the pole, and climbed it using his hands and toes, almost running up the thing until he used it as a springboard to leap at Tony. He caught the other man and ripped off the chest plate of the armor with his bare hands.

Tony's eyes narrowed, faceplate sliding up, and he tipped his head forward and bit the end of Loki's nose in a firm reprimand and sign of dominance.

The trickster yelped in surprise, the bite not even having hurt, and tried to backpedal, forgetting for that half a second that they were in the air. He fell, but he just twisted and landed again on his feet, springing immediately into movement. Tony had followed him down, however, and rammed into him, throwing him hard into the concrete. It knocked Loki breathless for a second, and then Tony was on him, pinning him down, teeth forward and on the fluttering pulse in that long, white throat. Loki froze, panting slightly on the ground, his eyes blank as he stared up at the sky in disbelief.

The others blinked. From a human vantage point, the movements between Tony and Loki had been blurs of speed with occasional chances of actually spotting the two. The sudden halt left the moment hanging in a tableau of uncertainty. It almost looked like Tony was trying to seduce Loki and the latter man wasn't sure if he wanted to give in or not.

They say that a person often sees in others what they detest most about themselves. Loki had stood in Stuttgart telling the humans that they craved subjugation. Tony had always been a loner, and has been president and CEO of his company for years. He knew how to take control. Loki was the second prince, never having expected to be king. Loki was not the submissive type, but Tony had no doubt that he was not an alpha, either.

Loki blinked slowly, trying to process what to do. He shifted slightly, testing the hold on him, but Tony's teeth became firmer, a gentle warning. Loki swallowed, something close to panic flashing in his eyes as he tried again to test the grip, looking for a weakness he could exploit without getting his throat ripped out. Tony's grip tightened, just shy of breaking skin, and a low, menacing growl trickled from his lips. Tony's entire aura was dominating without any question that it was he who belonged in charge, and Loki seemed to waver on that. He closed his eyes, not moving one way or another. Tony snarled viciously, making Loki jump, startled, eyes snapping open. Almost immediately, they fell back closed again. They heard a soft, pleading whine, and were stunned to realize that it came from Loki. The Asgardian seemed to sink beneath Tony, his defiance melting away. He opened his eyes again, but this time they were back to green, misty with tears. He looked up at the sky, the expression on his face suddenly agonizing. He looked like he was trying to memorize it, as if he never expected to see it again. Several of them had seen that look before, in soldiers who didn't want to die, but were so tired of fighting, tired of the struggle, that they couldn't continue, not even to save their own lives. Loki clearly believed he was going to die. Rather than continue to hopelessly fight, he closed his eyes again and waited.

The tension was thick, everyone's breath held. No one would blame Tony if he ended it, but that moment of weakness had everyone soured. They were the good guys. While it would certainly be practical, Loki had given in, given up in a way he never had before. Thor looked as if it was taking tremendous effort to trust Tony, to not rip him off of his brother and protect the younger god. But after a moment, Tony moved slightly. His grip on Loki eased, his overwhelming energy dimming back down to something more tolerable. He took his teeth off of Loki's throat and brushed the abused flesh with his tongue soothingly, pleased with the other wolf's submission. Loki's eyes slowly opened, then widened, as if he couldn't believe that he was alive and being treated so gently. Then his eyes rolled up and closed. He tipped his head back slightly, giving Tony more access to his throat as a tear slid down his cheek. Tony made an encouraging sound, nuzzling his neck. To everyone's shock, Loki's legs slid out from under Tony to wrap loosely around his hips.

That raised eyebrows amongst the group. They all watched warily, Thor's grip tightening on Mjolnir while Steve started slowly going red in the face. Natasha calmly looked around and noted that there were SHIELD agents surrounding them, keeping gawkers away. They really didn't need what looked like Iron Man making out with a villain on YouTube.

Fortunately, it didn't seem to go farther than that. Loki's legs remained loose and Tony didn't move from his soothing grooming of Loki's throat. Another soft whine came from Loki and Tony nuzzled the corner of his jaw almost tenderly.

Someone had to bring them back to their senses. Technically, it was Steve's week, but the captain seemed, if not horrified by their actions, then at least intensely uncomfortable. That meant Natasha. Ignoring her aches and wounds, she slowly stepped forward and cleared her throat. "Stark, we need to get out of here."

Both werewolves froze at the sound of her voice, Loki slowly blinking as if he was trying to remember where he was. Suddenly, both were up with a good several feet of space between them. Loki's teeth were bared half-heartedly and both he and Tony were lightly blushing.

Tony cleared his throat. "So... yeah. Doom's defeated. Yay, go team."

"We need to get Loki to a secure location while we figure out what to do," Natasha replied. For better or worse, Tony appeared to have adopted the other wolf into the pack and they needed to talk about what happens next.

Tony looked around, trying to clear back the wolf and decide what to do. "For the time being, let's take him back to the tower. I'm sure we'll be hearing from Fury soon enough, and I don't want him in SHIELD hands until I know how safe it will be."

Clint rolled his eyes. "I'm not sure we could do much to hurt him right now, Stark."

Tony pinned him with dark eyes, unamused. "It's not just Loki's safety I'm worried about, Barton. If you hadn't noticed, he's a little crazy."

"I would appreciate you not speaking as if I'm not here," Loki snapped, glaring.

"Thor," Tony continued, ignoring the other wolf, "Can you take him back to the tower? I'm not confident I can lift and fly him in the suit."

Thor took a step toward Loki, but the other man stepped back, hands up. "I can get there on my own," he said warily, not wanting to be flown.

"I'd rather make sure you're not intercepted."

"Have you ever had the dubious pleasure of flying with him?"

"Jesus, Loki, just go," he said, exasperated. "It'll take less time to get there than to argue." Tony nodded to Thor. Thor approached Loki, expecting him to continue protesting, but the other man said nothing. Uncharacteristically, he simply clenched his hands into fists and sourly let Thor take hold of his clothes. The moment their feet left the ground, however, the palpable rage around him evaporated and he yelped, suddenly clinging to Thor like a scalded cat. The noise of fear that came from his throat was nothing he'd heard his brother make before and Thor put a firm arm around him, holding Loki steady as he guided them to the Avengers' Tower.

Tony watched them leave then turned back to the others. "I'm going to go to make sure Loki doesn't try to scalp him."

"You know Fury is going to want to see him," Natasha said.

"Not to mention run you through another course of testing for making him one of us," Clint added, angry. "Seriously, Stark, what the fuck?"

"What was I supposed to do with him?" Tony said, throwing out his arms as if gesturing to his lack of options. "If you have a plan B, Barton, share with the class."

"How was pulling him into the pack plan A?" the assassin asked.

"It was more of plan, 'Keep the mad wolf away from innocent civilians.'"

"We could have locked him up at SHIELD."

"Because that worked so well last time," Tony bit out, sarcastic. "He'll go even crazier in a cage, and then he'll escape and be in the middle of a SHIELD base."

"So there will be more agents around--"

"Did it ever occur to you, Barton, that he might eat someone?" Tony interrupted. When Clint paled, he snorted. "With the wolf, Loki is the better fighter than me, maybe even Thor. If he really put his mind to it, I'm not sure we can take him out. We can't contain him unless he allows it and I have no idea how we'd go about killing him. His only weakness right now is his insanity, and that all stems from the fact that he doesn't have anywhere to go. Give him a place to belong, and he might calm down enough not to kill anyone before we can decide what to do."

"If he's a better fighter than you, how did you beat him?" Steve asked curiously.

Tony seemed to calm a bit at the question. He shrugged slightly. "He didn't really want to win. Correction; Loki wanted to win, but he doesn't have it in him to be a leader. He's used to being Thor's shadow, his second. He doesn't know how to be number one. He's a natural beta."

"And you're a natural leader?" Steve asked, eyebrows up.

Tony shrugged. "Not exactly a follower. I'm heading to the tower. Talk amongst yourselves, but I don't see another way to control the god and keep him from mass chaos and destruction."


	17. Part Seventeen

When Tony arrived back at the tower, it was to find Thor and Loki standing in the center of the penthouse, awkward and silent. Loki had his arms crossed, his stance defiant, but his discomfort screamed in his body language to Tony's senses. Loki's eyes barely flicked his way when he entered before he stared off again, but he watched Tony occasionally out of the corner of his eyes.

Thor was far more painfully obvious. There was no doubt in Tony's mind that Thor had tried to talk to his younger brother, and failed on that account. Unspoken words hung painfully in the air, and Thor's earnest blue eyes looked to Tony helplessly as he entered. It was obvious that the blond wanted to help and he didn't know how. Frankly, Tony wasn't sure what to tell him.

Tony remembered the beginning, when he had never felt alone but was still so painfully lonely. Everywhere he'd gone, people had followed, watching and waiting, for what he wasn't entirely sure. Perhaps they wanted to make sure he was okay with the changes, or they had wanted to watch the monster break free. The thing was, Tony never felt like a monster unless they were watching. Sure, the wolf was alien to him. They had disagreed, a lot at first. Tony would try to bury himself in his lab work and the wolf's instincts paced restlessly under his skin, making him itch everywhere. It had nearly driven him mad, trying to figure out how to soothe and please the damn creature. It was uncomfortable with the others, unhappy with them in the tower, but the idea of making them leave had sent him near panicking in desperation. He didn't want to see them and their eyes. Steve's helpless pity and Clint's eager fascination had grated against his skin, but so had Natasha's emptiness. Normally, that would have made him feel like he could have ignored his problems, but she had made him feel cornered.

Finally, one day, Tony had been in his lab, trying to ignore the restless wolf that gnawed at his being. The creature was practically writhing against him, yearning to be free. Tony had given up and thrown a wrench into the empty air. "What?!" he'd shouted into the air, talking to the animal inside of him. "What do you want from me? This is who I am. What more do you want?" He'd wanted to break things, but his rage would have just riled the creature more until it took over and forced him out of his own skin. He'd hung his head, breathing slowly and carefully, and then the most wonderful thing happened. He'd felt a touch to his shoulder, rubber but tentative and gentle. He had looked up, surprised, to see DUM-E next to him. His claw opened and closed hesitantly, like he wasn't sure if he'd done good or not. Tony had reached up, touching the claw gently, stroking his hand over the robot's single arm.

"Good boy," Tony murmured, and then leaned into him, cuddling against the robot and petting him.

Later, it had felt a bit silly, but he couldn't help but like it. It had made the loneliness fade a bit, settled the wolf slightly, so he'd taken to touching his machines. DUM-E, U; he'd even started stroking the monitors as he talked to Jarvis. The AI never said anything about it, and the two robots seemed ecstatic for the attention. It was enough to keep him from wanting to cut open his own skin and remove the wolf anyway he could, but it still made him ache. More than once, he's longed for the warmth and softness of flesh. Then Happy had bared his throat to him, and everything had changed.

Tony walked down the stairs slowly, studying the two Asgardians before him. "Thor," he said suddenly. "You mind giving us a few? The others should be along soon with Fury. I need to talk to your brother here for a moment."

Thor looked between the two of them. He'd expected at least a token complaint from Loki for the familial reference, but the other wolf was silent. He nodded. "I will meet them below," he said. He gave his brother one last, lingering look, then headed to the elevator.

Once the doors closed, Loki finally turned to look at Tony, his expression amused but eyes dark with wariness. "Are you intending to threaten me again?" he inquired, referring back to when they had first met.

Tony smiled, but like Loki, his watchful eyes betrayed his casualness. He took in all of the little tics that Loki hadn't managed to smooth out in the past six months, things a human probably wouldn't have noticed, but Tony could read them like a book. Loki hated his wolf; the animal was afraid of Tony, and Loki loathed that the human's presence made him feel weak. "It's not going to work, you know," he said by way of answer, moving gracefully down the stairs to the main floor.

"This time as well as the last," Loki said.

Tony noticed the way his weight shifted back onto his heels ever so slightly, his shoulders raising just so. Loki instinctively wanted a safe distance between them and didn't want to move to have it. "Not the threats; that would be irresponsible of me at the moment. No, I mean the way you fight the wolf. That way lays madness, as you may have noticed."

Loki stilled, his body suddenly freezing in place. He narrowed his eyes at Tony, who had expected at least a growl for his observation. It said a lot about Loki's state of mind that Tony could push as he was and Loki didn't push back.

"In case you haven't noticed, the virus has had a massive effect on the area of our brains that rules our instincts," he elaborated. He dug into the refrigerator and pulled out a water bottle. "You know, gut feelings and the like. When I tried to ignore them, they got worse. It felt like an animal was pacing restlessly in my cage, ready to chew its way out, rip free and take over."

"This is all very fascinating, Mr. Stark--"

"Don't interrupt me," Tony barked.

Loki's mouth immediately snapped shut under the command. It only took seconds before he realized how quickly he'd obeyed and he fumed, but he did not open his mouth to speak.

Tony watched, making sure Loki wasn't going to try again, before he continued. "It took a while for me to figure out what needed to happen, but it seems so clear now. It's just like any other adjustment I've had to make in my life. Factor in the new variables, readjust the wiring, and the new program runs smoothly with the rest of the unit."

He'd lost him. Loki looked a bit confused by his metaphor. "Wolves are pack animals, Loki." He walked over to the taller man, sensing the way the proximity made the other tense. "They need others. We need others. I honestly don't like it very much. I tried to ignore it, but it was driving me crazy. It was..." he searched for the words, hand raised as if to snag what he wanted right from the air. "It was a hiccup in the data stream, a... a buzzing and I couldn't find the source. There was a blip in the code and I just couldn't find it. And then it found me." He lowered his hand, meeting Loki's gaze. Holding it, he reached out and laid just his fingertips on the back of Loki's hand.

Loki started at the contact, cringing back as if he was going to jerk away. He remained still for a moment, not pulling away from Tony's touch. After a moment, the static crackle of restless, wild energy slowed slightly, smoothing. Green eyes widened in shock, and Tony could actually feel the tired, desperate wolf in the Asgardian still. He slid his fingers so that he was lightly grasping Loki's hand and the other man shuddered, his eyes falling closed.

"Like it or not," Tony murmured softly, not wanting to startle Loki, "the wolf is a pack animal. It needs the security of touch to feel safe, and it will do anything it has to in order to get it."

Loki swallowed and tried to pull back his hand, actions almost reluctant. Tony's grip tightened, holding him there and taking another step closer. Half a year ago, if he could have seen himself, he would have thought he was coaxing the god of mischief into his bed and had himself committed. Now, it seemed natural to want to be close. It wasn't wise; he was not stupid enough to believe that Loki was anywhere close to safe and sane, and a little pat on the hand wasn't going to cure all of his problems, but it was a first step. He couldn't protect everyone from Loki if he couldn't protect Loki, and in order to do that, he needed the man's wolf to trust him.

Tony raised his free hand, resting it against Loki's shoulder. When the other werewolf didn't react, he slowly moved it, briefly brushing his fingertips over the high collar of Loki's tunic and the pale patch of skin he could see there before cupping an angular cheekbone in his hand. A small sigh escaped Loki's lips before he tipped his head, pressing ever so slightly into the caress.

"Sir," Jarvis said softly. "The other Avengers are in the elevator, along with Nick Fury."

Before Tony could open his mouth to have the elevator delayed, Loki was gone, a good five feet away. He'd most likely only been stopped in his hasty retreat by the bar his back pressed against.

Baby steps, Tony reminded himself. He and the wolf were pleased to note that, while Loki looked ridiculously uncomfortable with what just happened, he still hadn't regained the sharp and jagged edges to his energy again. "All right," he muttered with a sigh. "Let's see what the one-eyed pirate wants." He turned to the elevator, leaning against one of the couches casually. That it put him between Loki and the elevator was, he speculated, quite obvious.

The elevator doors opened and Fury swept in, taking the room in with a glance. "What is he doing here?" Fury demanded, pointing at Loki as the rest of the Avengers filtered into the room, plus one Pepper Potts.

A growl curled up the back of his throat, longing to be released. Tony held on to it and just pointed at Fury. "Better question is, what are you doing here? I thought I'd banished you from the building."

"This is no time to play around, Stark--"

"Who's playing?" Tony straightened. "As I recall, finding Loki was a plan we had or something. We needed to know what effects the virus had on him, since he doesn't have the physiology it was built for. Why do I feel like I, again, am the only person paying attention in class?"

"Find him, not make kissy faces at him in the middle of a public street."

Before Tony could snarl, Pepper was standing in front of Fury, and his ire soothed almost immediately. "I invited him up here, Tony," she said, moving closer to him.

"I said no."

"You and I both know you could have had Jarvis send us all right back down, so stop it. We need to talk about Loki."

Both Tony and Pepper looked over at the Asgardian. He was seated on a barstool, one leg hooked through a bar and the other braced on the floor. He was leaning casually against the counter, looking almost bored as he watched them all, but his red-rimmed eyes were sharp and missed little.

Tony turned back. "What about him?"

Pepper scowled. "What do you mean, what about him?' In case you've forgotten, he's dangerous."

"So am I, Pep," he answered softly.

By this time, Pepper stood in front of Tony. At his quiet statement, her face crumpled slightly and she sighed. She reached out, running her hands up Tony's arms from wrists to biceps. "We need to make sure everyone feels safe, remember? The rest of us live here, too."

Tony frowned at her, and then shot a glance at the others. "You are not suggesting I hand him over to SHIELD, are you?"

"No," she answered. "But I do think we should take him to SHIELD. They have better facilities to contain him while we figure out what to do."

Tony could practically feel it as Loki's expression flattened at the suggestion. "Not yet," he said firmly. He looked up at Fury. "Our job was to find Loki. We found him. So where the hell is the Hammer you promised us?"

Fury's smile was less than pleasant. "At the base."

That definitely caught Loki's attention. The Asgardian stood and moved closer to Tony at a speed that made Pepper dig her nails into Tony's arms in fear. Tony turned his head to look at the other man. There was a frightening eagerness buried in Loki's dark eyes, his scent sliding into hunger and desperation. He looked at Tony, not saying anything, but Tony knew what he wanted: Hammer. Loki and his wolf had been hunting, and now their prey was in sight. Tony's mouth tightened slightly in disapproval. He was pretty sure he shouldn't be encouraging Loki to maim, kill, or eat anyone, even Justin Hammer. Noticing his reticence, Loki's head tipped slightly to the side, chin raised and angled away a little, a submissive gesture. He looked at Tony out of the corner of his eyes, waiting.

Tony narrowed his own eyes, knowing it was a manipulation to try and convince him to go along, but the actions of the other werewolf made him also queerly eager. He looked back at the others, who seemed to vary from confused to sharply watchful, then he met Fury's eyes and slowly nodded. "We'll all go to the base for now. I want to hear what Hammer has to say."


	18. Part Eighteen

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yikes! I'm running out of pre-written chapters.

The drive to the base was fairly uncomfortable. Loki had sat between Tony and Thor, and his tension was obvious. When he'd been forced to sit beside Thor, Loki had kept a decent amount of space between them, but then Tony had sat close, and he'd tried to create more space without touching his brother. His anxiety and eagerness had hummed so strongly against Tony's nerves that the genius had moved closer, trying to use the contact to calm the other wolf. Loki had tried to move away, and then Thor had turned to say something, accidentally brushing him. Loki had nearly climbed onto Tony's lap to get away. He was putting everyone on edge with his squirming, so Tony had put a firm arm around his waist, pulling Loki against his side with a fair enough space between the two Asgardians. Loki had almost struggled, starting to scowl, but Tony's hand briefly squeezed his waist in warning. The sorcerer had narrowed his eyes, but said nothing, remaining still and tense against Tony.

Upon arrival, two companies of SHIELD agents awaited them, semi-automatics in hand as they stood in formation. The sight made Tony stiffen, fixing Fury with a scowl, but Loki actually looked amused. "Are you going to secure my hands in manacles again as last time?" he inquired, cocking his head toward Fury.

"Do I need to?" he asked the Asgardian impassively.

"Would it do you any good?"

"Oh my God, shut up," Tony said, rolling his eyes. Loki's head whipped around to him, eyes wide with astonishment. "You're not a prisoner. We're here to see what Hammer did and if we can fix it. If you're going to act as crazy as you are, I'm going to hit you with a newspaper."

Loki stared at him for a long moment, bemused and affronted. "Newspaper?" he finally said.

"It's a thing," Tony said, waving a hand dismissively. "Don't be an ass, and they won't be an ass back."

Loki's eyes narrowed, icy rage nearly making the human werewolf shiver. He knew in his gut that Loki wouldn't fight him, that the wolf was just submissive enough not to want to battle, and Loki proud enough not to want to chance defeat in front of all of SHIELD, but his meat brain suspected he might be pushing the insane god just a touch too far.

That said, Loki merely turned and swept forward toward the agents. They unconsciously moved aside for him, his power parting the crowd as he strode through with the dignity of a royal god and the ferocity of a wild beast. It took them a moment to realize they were supposed to be his escort and not just cower before him and they snapped to formation around him, leading Loki inside.

"Are you sure you can control him?" Steve finally asked. "No offense, Tony, but I don't see you being able to pull that off."

Tony shrugged. "Usually a person who shows off his power is the one who is least sure of it."

"But you're always showing off."

"I'm a genius. It would be a shame not to share that with the masses. However, there is a difference between showing off, and throwing my weight around."

"Still, it's a valid question," Natasha added.

Tony looked over at her. "He doesn't know how to lead," he finally said. "And, deep inside underneath the seething insanity, he knows that."

Alarms suddenly screamed through the base, making everyone tense. Sound burst from the walkie-talkie at Fury's back. "Sir!" Hill's voice sounded. "There's a disruption in the lower corridors outside of the holding cells. Loki is out of control."

Tony was moving the moment he heard Loki's name, wondering what the hell was going on. All he knew was that the other wolf was in danger and he didn't really know what options he had except to go interfere. A part of him hated that helping Loki was such an automatic reaction that he was racing through the halls at speeds most of the others couldn't keep up with at the first mention of trouble, but another part of him feared the thought of losing the other werewolf.

He followed his nose, tracking Loki, ignoring the shouts of the other Avengers, and was soon able to hear the commotion. He ran deeper, faster than the others, and actually skidded to a stop in his sneakers as he came across the altercation. There were a number of Loki's guard down, but Tony couldn't actually tell what had happened. The first thing that actually pierced his brain was Loki.

The werewolf was on the ground, whines of pain and insane snarls punctuating the air. He was still in his human-esque form, although his eyes had gone blood red and claws screeched over metal. Loki seemed to be too far gone to form words, his eyes focused in frothing rage at a point inside the room before him. More important to Tony was that Loki also couldn't seem to move. He was sprawled helplessly on the ground, snared in a cocoon of cable nets.

"What the hell are you doing?" Tony snarled, starting to move forward. A hand on his elbow caught him, and Steve was damn lucky he had anticipated a poor reaction. Otherwise, he wouldn't have been able to duck the punch Tony immediately threw for stopping him.

"Tony, wait a second. Let's find out what happened before we free him. The nets might be the only thing keeping everyone alive."

Tony allowed that statement to burrow in even as he jerked his arm away. He pursed his lips, but moved forward more calmly. Steve did have a point. Loki's growls eased, his whimpers increasing as his alpha approached, and Tony crouched beside him. A hand on one tangled shoulder made the wolf sigh, the insane fury cooling to something more frigid, but no more human.

"What happened?" Tony asked calmly, looking up at the guards.

One guard swallowed and pointed inside the room Loki was staring at. Inside were two SHIELD guards, weapons at the ready. Behind them, up on a table and nearly cowering, was Justin Hammer. The room absolutely reeked of terror from all three humans. "H-Hey, T-Tony," Hammer stuttered. He froze at Loki's low growl.

"The door was open when we walked by," the guard who had pointed told Tony. "When Loki saw Hammer, he flipped his shit. Started screaming about taking something out and nearly lunged into the room." It was then that the guard noticed Fury and straightened. "Sir."

"Don't look at him; look at me," Tony said calmly, the command drawing the guard's attention back. "What is with the cables?"

"It's the only non-lethal defense we have against him," Natasha answered instead, causing Tony's gaze to whip to her.

"Defense?"

"In case he shifts and attacks someone," she clarified. "We can't chance him mauling someone critically enough to risk infection."

"Don't you mean defense against us, then?" Tony asked, almost sounding bitter.

She dipped her head once, acknowledging his point.

"The idea was to force you still long enough to get you calmed," Fury explained. "When you caught him, we had hoped the nets were strong enough to hold him without risking killing him."

"This is a lot more than one net," Tony said.

The guard cleared his throat. "He dodged the first one, and the next two weren't enough to hold him. We had to use everything we had."

Tony finally looked back down at Loki. The Asgardian's breathing had calmed, his eyes not leaving Hammer, but he was no longer vibrating with rage. He was tense, but most likely that was because of how helpless he was in an enemy base. "Loki, look at me," Tony said, voice soft but firm. Those red eyes reluctantly slid to him. "I'm going to untangle you and you are going to remain still. Do you understand me?"

"He better not move," Clint said, pulling an arrow.

Before Tony could reply, a hard tremor shook Loki's frame, drawing a low whine from him. His eyes rolled up in pain. Tony couldn't figure out what was wrong with him at first, not until he saw the way Loki's clawed fingers flexed through the holes in the nets, as if he tried to paw at them. The skin along the back of his hand was dark, bordering on black. The other werewolf couldn't move, and now Tony could see why he wanted to.

"I have to take him out of there, Barton," he said, searching for a way to begin untangling him. "He's too far gone to completely calm down, and too restricted to continue shifting into a wolf."

"Most likely the panic of being helpless after his fit," Bruce said, coming forward.

"I need a diamond cutter," Tony told him.

"Wait, what? You can't let that thing go. He tried to kill me!" Hammer protested. He paled when Tony spared him the briefest glance.

"What?" Tony asked mildly, taking the tool Bruce placed down next to his knee. "I thought you wanted to make monsters." He carefully started to cut the cables that ensnared Loki, making sure not to hurt the submissive wolf, although he doubted he could. "You actually did something right for once, Hammer. I'm just as surprised as anyone."

Hammer was slowly righting himself, unnerved by Loki's red eyes as Tony freed him. He smoothed down his tie. "A monster? You? It was an accident, Stark. We're pals. I could never do such a thing."

Tony glanced up at him. "You know, I actually believe you," he said thoughtfully. "You couldn't do such a thing. That just makes me wonder where you got the virus. Bio-engineering isn't your thing. Hell, tying your shoes is barely your thing."

"Wh-where I got it?"

"Yeah." Tony tapped the tool against his knee briefly, and then continued cutting Loki out while Bruce untangled the nets. "You can barely work your own tech, Justin. How could you find anyone to engineer a virus that can only be activated by an energy that I barely understand? And if I have trouble with it, there aren't many who can do better."

"There are better?" Clint said, amused.

"Well... magically, perhaps," he muttered. He cut the last cable and watched Bruce with Loki. "See what you've managed to make?"

The nets were quickly released. When Loki could move, his body immediately curled in on itself. Tony hadn't had the opportunity to watch a change yet. It was strangely elegant. Loki's clothes faded into the golden lines of his magic, but the change itself was fluid, lacking the glimmer of the sorcerer's own spells. The darkness flowed like water over his skin, simply reshaping everything until a huge, lithe black wolf laid there, blue lines of color swirling through his fur in a way that was just not natural. Loki shook his head then looked at Hammer, baring gleaming teeth. His body bunched to lunge, but Tony grasped the scruff of his neck and held him there, making the wolf growl.

Tony looked back to Hammer, who seemed ready to piss himself. "Hammer, calm yourself," he nearly purred. "You're only succeeding in making yourself smell like food."

Hammer swallowed thickly. "You... you wouldn't let him..."

"Why not?" he asked, eyes sliding into his own wolf's gold. "I'm a monster, remember?" And there it was. Tony's nose wrinkled at the stain that soaked into the man's pants. "Who created the virus, Hammer?"

Hammer looked seconds away from fainting. He actually jumped when Tony took his hand off of Loki. The wolf took a single step forward, his head low, throat throbbing with a deep growl. After a moment, the temperature in the room seemed to dip, Tony's breath steaming in the air. The blue lines nearly pulsed in Loki's fur, and a pale frost seemed to streak it, starting with his muzzle and working its way back. Loki took another step, and frost crackled over the ground around his paws, Bruce's breath also starting to condense.

"Doctor Doom," Hammer said, his voice shrill, eyes locked on the black wolf. "Victor von Doom. He made the virus and the device. He made them. I don't know how. I don't know..."

Bruce moved carefully, going to stand near the door. "Calm down, Mr. Hammer," he said. "Just be quiet and slowly sit on the chair. You don't want to startle the wolf, do you?"

It was like how Bruce talked about the Other Guy, and it worked equally well. Shaking like a leaf, Hammer sank onto the chair. Bruce then turned, stepping between Loki and Hammer. That made Tony's gaze snap up to his face, but Bruce's eyes were on Loki. "Loki. We have what we need now. The sooner you calm down, the sooner we can go see what Doom has."

Loki's reply was to bare his teeth at Bruce.

The scientist smiled. "Do you really want to have this throw-down here?" Bruce said calmly. "We might break a lot of expensive equipment, not to mention people we'd like to keep more-or-less intact."

"You wouldn't really eat Hammer covered in piss, would you?" Clint asked, a bit disgusted by the thought.

Behind Bruce, Hammer slid to the floor, out cold.

The tension seemed to break at that. Loki snorted at the ridiculous mortal and turned with a huff, nosing his own fur as if nothing happened. Tony raised an eyebrow, but then looked up at Fury. "So, Dr. Doom, huh?"

If looks could kill... "Get up to the conference room, Stark. And take your little dog, too."

It was hard to say what made Clint laugh harder, the quip or Loki's obviously affronted look.


	19. Part Nineteen

Arrangements for Loki had nearly caused another fight between Fury and Tony, but Fury seemed reluctant to cause one with the large wolf sitting right there. Fury had wanted Loki out of that form and away from the chance of infecting someone else. Tony actually agreed, but Loki hadn't seemed inclined to do so and, besides threaten the other werewolf, he didn't know if he could make him. Eventually, they both agreed to let Loki come out of it on his own locked in an observation room. Loki had not protested and, upon arrival, had jumped onto the bed and laid down, muzzle on his paws as his body sank into sleep. His eyes never really closed, though, and Tony wondered what was going on in that brilliant, broken mind. He'd left Loki there and gone up to the debriefing room with the others.

"See, what I don't understand," he said upon arrival, picking up on their previous argument, "is why you don't want Loki in this meeting. He was the one we caught working with Doom just yesterday. He might have input we can use."

"And we have information that I don't want him to have," Fury said. "We don't know if this is an elaborate plan between the two of them."

"I don't know," Natasha murmured. She was watching the video of Loki's attack on Hammer on the screen at her seat. "Rage like that is pretty hard to imitate."

"And that's another thing," Fury said. "What the hell happened there? Do any of you have an idea of why he lost it like that? I can't risk him attacking my agents like that."

"He's insane," Tony replied, voice soft as he sank into his chair. "Well, insaner. More insane? Being a werewolf is making him lose his mind. He obviously wants it gone."

"I thought you'd adopted him?" Clint said bitterly. "Shouldn't he be ecstatic?"

"Do you think he wants to be in our pack?" Tony snapped. "I'm lucky. I have friends who have been doing their best to help me through it. He doesn't have anyone, and he likes it that way."

"Do you really think he likes isolation that much?" Steve asked.

"I think he can't trust anyone enough to let them close. Whether he likes it or not, he can't help it, and even if he found someone trustworthy, he's too crazy not to make shit up. The fact that he absolutely needs people now, that his own body and mind is trying to force him to trust, is literally driving him out of his mind. As thrilled as you are about having him around, Barton, he's probably doubly as excited, and he doesn't have a choice. He has spent the last six months in a literal war with his own self to stay away from anyone he knows until he felt he had control."

"How can you be so sure?" Clint said.

The smile that twisted Tony's mouth held no humor in it. "Because it was the same thing going on in my head until you told Pepper and Happy." He sat quietly, letting everyone take that in. "It's... hard to explain how it works, how it feels to have two sides of you war like that. The wolf isn't exactly me, and he has his own ideas of what he wants. When I'm not in sync with him, I can tell. It's a near-physical sensation. But having people around," he said, gesturing to them all, "to help him, the wolf, feel safe goes a long way to calming him down. After that, we've work together so well that I can't always tell what is me and what is him anymore. But Loki never had that safety. Touch is so important, so grounding that I can't even explain to you what it's like to have people I can touch. I was going out of my mind in weeks. He's been doing this for six months. Six months without touch, without safety, with the incessant driving need to find protection, to find people, a pack, and to be fighting that so strongly that his first impulse upon seeing us was to attack? He's cracked, and he's so close to breaking that he'd do anything to stop it from happening. That's why he attacked Hammer. He needs a cure to the virus, or he's going to fall apart and lose himself in the process."

Everyone was quiet for a long moment, mulling over that. Thor actually looked a bit distressed, wishing he could figure out how to help his brother. "If I submit to him, will it help him?" Thor asked.

"No," Tony said firmly. "He's lost and broken, Thor. He doesn't need to be encouraged. He needs to be helped. If you submitted to him, he'd just try to make you do awful things to prove that you're obedient to him. Until he's a lot more sane, he needs someone to control him."

"And you're that man?" Fury asked, crossing his arms. "Tony Stark, Tamer of Gods."

Tony raised an eyebrow. "You're welcome to challenge him to a dominance battle yourself, Fury. If you win, you keep him. If you lose, he keeps SHIELD. I know who my money is on."

"Could we kill him?" Clint asked quietly. There didn't seem to be any venom in it. He actually appeared very thoughtful.

Tony sighed. "Honestly, Barton, even if Asgard wouldn't flip its collective shit, I wouldn't know how to. The man took a beating from the Hulk that would have pulverized a normal human into jelly, and he suffered nothing more than a few scratches and everlasting embarrassment. And all that was pre-lycanthropy."

"So our options are to let him into the pack and hope you can control him, or drop him into the deepest, darkest hole Earth has to offer and forget about him."

"I wouldn't really consider the second one an option," Bruce murmured. "Myth says that he's the god that brings about the end of the world. Doing bad things to him just seems like shooting ourselves in the foot. If we have a gentler option, we should probably try it first."

"The only reason you've beaten him in battle so far is because he's given in," Natasha said, looking at Tony. "If you don't know how to kill him, then what stops him from becoming alpha of this pack?"

"Himself," Tony answered. "Come on, Romanoff. Do you really think he is the alpha type?"

"He thinks he is."

"His wolf knows better. Just like my wolf knew that we could keep him in line."

"But he was right about one thing: he's not the submissive type." Steve looked around them. "If we do this, he's not going to stay at the bottom. We have to be fair and let him move up. Can we do that?"

"It might be a moot point," Fury interrupted. "If Doom can cure the virus--"

"It's a virus, and a quantum one at that," Bruce cut in. "You can't cure viruses. Once they are in your system, you have them."

"That doesn't mean Loki won't tear Doom apart looking for a cure." Tony looked at Fury. "I doubt Loki is an expert on virology so he's probably not going to see how Doom might not be able to fix this. The man was born able to turn himself into anything he wants. I bet he won't believe that it's impossible."

Fury nodded slowly. "We still need to make sure that Doom doesn't replicate the virus. Loki might be able to get you past Doom's defenses. If he can, do you think you can stop him from attacking like you did earlier?"

"Most likely."

Clint blinked at him. "What do you mean, most likely?"

Tony shrugged. "Everyone has a breaking point."

Yet again, alarms blared throughout the building. Tony threw up his hands. "Seriously? No bones for that bastard."

Fury pressed a button. "Agent Hill, what's happening?"

"Loki has disappeared from the observation room, sir."

"How did he get out?"

"He didn't," she said. "He literally disappeared. There have been no sightings of him on the base."

"Has anyone gone into the room?" Tony asked, leaning forward.

"Doors have remained shut, but heat isn't picking up anything."

"His body temperature is too low for that," Tony muttered, standing. "He might be invisible, though, hoping someone will just open the door so he can slip out. I'll go and look, see if I can track him down. You guys figure out where Doom is. If he has teleported, that's where he'll be going."

"I'll back you up," Clint said, rising as well. He grabbed his bow and followed Tony out, Steve silently on their tails.

"He doesn't like you very much, Barton," Tony pointed out.

"I'm sure you can track him by scent, but I can track him as well. An arrow in the flank will slow him down."

"I'll make sure Barton doesn't get clawed," Steve said, hefting his shield. "If Loki is even in wolf form. Can he do magic like that?"

"I have no idea." Tony sounded tired.

They quickly made their way to the observation room. Clint and Steve stood back, down the hall, while Tony carefully slipped inside. The werewolf crouched, making himself a smaller target as he looked around the room. The room was cold and sterile with very little of Loki's scent anywhere. Tony slowly rose and walked toward the center, to the bed. Halfway to it he knew two things: Loki never left the bed, and he wasn't in there now. It seemed as if the sorcerer really did just disappear. Fear and anger welled in his chest suddenly and he had to clench his hands to keep from reacting. A part of him very much hated his deep concern over the Asgardian putting himself into that kind of danger.

Tony turned and left, looking down the hall to Steve. "He teleported out of the room. I don't know what his range is like, so I don't know if he's still on the base."

"Which means we need to find Doom," Steve replied, straightening.

Clint put away the arrow he had readied. "I'll go tell the others."

"Agent Barton!" one of the other SHIELD agents called. "Message from Director Fury. They have Loki's location."

~~~

Loki reappeared in bunker, the room large and concrete. Tables were laid out, and on them were the remains of the Doombots and spiderbots that SHIELD had collected from the battle earlier. He smoothed down his leathers absently, closing his eyes and breathing in the scents. There was no one currently there, some of them having left with the taint of fear to them. He smelled oil, dust, metal, and magic. More than one of the bots still had active spells upon them. Opening his eyes, he wove through the tables until he stood beside one, looking down at it. He reached out, caressing the metal cheek like a lover's.

"Victor," he crooned.

The spark of magic strengthened, the bot's eyes starting to glow. "I have been expecting you," the human mage replied through his spell.

"I rather thought you might be. It seems there are a few things you didn't mention to me."

"I find the feeling mutual. Did you not offer me the key into Stark Tower?"

"Lies and tricks," Loki said, sounding bored. "Exactly as you should expect from me. You, however, have much more to feel shame-faced about. Justin Hammer?"

"Hammer allowed me to dispose of a useless experiment. The disposal was much more interesting than I had expected. How did you manage to fall for the weak games of that insipid businessman, little wolf?"

Loki's fingers gripped the metal chin hard, leaving indentions from his fingertips. "I'm not in a playing mood, Victor."

"I know what it is you want," the bot continued, unfazed by Loki's threat. "I have seen how it is you slowly fall apart from that curious virus. I have a cure for it."

Claws dug into the mask, making the metal shriek in protest. "Give it to me," Loki snarled.

"I will exchange the anti-virus to you in return for Anthony Stark."

Loki blinked. "Stark," he repeated slowly. Every part of him froze at the offer, even the wolf.

"I am curious to see how this virus affects others. I have seen the way it has eaten at the fragile balance of your mind. I want to see more and experiment. If you bring Stark to me--"

The human didn't get the chance to finish. The hand that held the bot's metal jaw tensed and a sudden flare of power had Loki ripping the enchantment to shreds. The jaw followed as the Asgardian swung himself up onto the table and really got started. Destroying was too mild a term. He rended the Doombot with claws and feral magic, reducing it to scrap metal before he turned, blood-red eyes scanning the rest of the bots in the room.

~~~

By this time, Tony had abandoned his chair in the conference room, racing toward the bunker. The plan had been to let Steve lead some SHIELD agents in to convince Loki to come back, or apprehend him, while Tony waited with the others but he worried about Loki's state of mind. The rage seemed whole and complete and he didn't want the other werewolf to rip the agents apart like he was the bots.

The comm that Natasha had pressed onto Tony before he'd taken off crackled to life. "Cap," Natasha said. "Pull back. Loki is flipping out. We're on our way. Hold the agents for backup."

"Got it," Steve replied.

"Oh my God" Clint suddenly breathed over the comm. He'd gone a different route to see if he could get eyes on Loki from a vantage point. "Stark, maybe you should just wait for him to calm down."

"No can do, Legolas," Tony said. "I can't wait on the chance that he'll get bored with metal and move on to people." He rounded a corner and slid to a stop in front of Steve, the blond blinking at his sudden appearance. "Besides, I'm already here."

"Stark, do not advance on Loki without back-up," Fury commanded, making Tony's hackles rise. "Wait for the rest of the team."

"Nick--"

"Stark," Clint interrupted. "Please. Seriously. Wait. Besides, he seems to be calming down."

It was the 'please' that startled him into silence. He stared at the door in front of him, wondering what the hell Clint was watching Loki do. Fortunately, it was only a few moments before Thor and Natasha came running up.

"Bruce is on stand-by," Natasha murmured as everyone except Tony readied weapons.

"Just give the word," Bruce's voice crackled in his ear.

Tony nodded, taking a small breath, and then pushed open the door.

Of all the crazy, apocalyptic scenes of a raving god Tony had expected to see, this one was not on his list. The room was empty save for Loki. He was sitting on the floor, one leg bent with his foot flat on the floor. His elbow was propped on his knee and he was chewing on a thumbnail, staring off into space with bright green eyes. Nothing else was there. The bots and the tables there were lying on were gone.

"Decided to clean house?" Tony asked, stepping into the room. The first contact of his sneakers scratched against the concrete and he looked down. Fine sand seemed to coat the ground, something he hadn't noticed before. Scuffing his foot through it, he saw the sand shimmer in the light like fine glitter. He crouched down, touching the sand with one finger then brought it up to his nose and carefully breathed in the scent of metal. Slowly, Tony's eyes widened. "Barton," he said. "Is this... nevermind." He'd look at the security footage later. He looked back at Loki, who was still gnawing on a nail, but now looking at him as well. "Hey. Impressive." He gestured to the empty room, standing.

"Latveria."

Tony blinked. "Okay?"

Loki lowered his hand. "We'll find Dr. Doom in Latveria."

"Well, that makes sense considering he runs the place. And what happened to 'Victor'?" When Loki's expression darkened, he shrugged. "Why are you so sure about Latveria?"

"'Victor' is an accomplice. 'Dr. Doom' is prey." Loki shifted as if he was going to stand, but glanced up at Tony and ended up remaining seated.

Tony studied the god evenly. He had thought, based off of Loki's reaction, that the other wolf had been offended, had attacked in rage to the threat to Tony's safety, but that could have just been the wolf. Loki himself might like the idea. Tony doubted Doom had a cure, but what if he did? They needed it. Tony didn't want to be a werewolf, and they didn't need the possibility that either of them might infect another person. But viruses could not be cured. They remained in the body forever.

"So," Tony said, pacing. "Do you believe him?"

Loki didn't need to ask for clarification. "No."

"No?"

"He lied." Loki looked down at the dust on the ground, running a finger through his handiwork. "He doesn't have a cure."

"Are you sure?" Tony could tell when a person lies, but only when he was in their presence. "Was there something in the spell that gave him away?"

"I can tell. I'm not precisely sure how," he frowned slightly, thoughtful, "but I know."

"So then this isn't a plan to make me his pet."

Loki, for one brief moment, looked horrified and affronted, disturbed at the very thought of someone chaining Tony like a dog. Then his eyes lowered down to the hand still tracing in the dust. He looked unhappy, shooting a brief glance at Tony. "No. It is not."

Tony walked over to him, making the god tense. He crouched and took hold of Loki's chin, forcing the man to look at him. Loki gave him a deadly glare, lips curled back in a feral snarl, but his eyes widened slightly with what looked like fear. "Are you sure?"

Loki nearly lashed out, automatically moving to pull away, to struggle. Tony just tightened his grip slightly and the insane god stilled. A very human part of Tony's mind wanted to babble at the ridiculous way he was treating this mad, powerful being, but the wolf was calm and trusting. Loki's eyes widened even more, looking up at Tony with fear and something strangely close to adoration.

"Loki," Tony murmured, meeting those brilliant green eyes. Loki's own gaze flicked downwards once in submission but were helplessly drawn back up like he was charmed, a cobra to the piper. "Is this a trick to turn me in for the cure?"

Loki swallowed. "No," he whispered. "I... he does not have a cure. He will go to Latveria because that is where he will feel most safe. He has defenses against all of the Avengers there, and wards and charms built into the walls. He can prepare there."

"Awesome," Tony said brightly, pulling away, Loki glaring murderously once he was out of his personal space. Tony ignored it and looked at Natasha. "How do we feel about invading a country?"


	20. Part Twenty

Loki was back in lockup, pacing the space restlessly as the others moved into the observation room. Tony called up the recording of what happened after he had ran to go deal with Loki and watched wordlessly as the sorcerer tore the machines and tables apart. On the screen, he lifted his hands, the spell swelling gold between his fingertips, and all of the metal in the room lifted into the air. One by one, each piece dissolved into a swirling sandstorm, whipping the air around Loki. Finally, he huffed and dropped his hands and the fine powder tumbled to the floor, coating the entire ground in what looked like a layer of dust. The sorcerer had sat, chewing on a nail until Tony had found him.

"He can't do that to people, can he?" Clint asked, looking up at Thor.

Thor's lips thinned. "Loki is very powerful."

"That's not the concern at the moment," Tony said, closing the recording. He turned to everyone. "If Loki wanted to turn us to dust, he obviously could do it at any time. He hasn't, and he won't. Doctor Doom, however, is a problem we should look at."

"What makes you think Loki won't do that?" Bruce asked cautiously.

"It's too quick." Tony's voice was bland and he shrugged as they all looked at him. "It's not particularly entertaining, really. No screaming, no pain, no begging for mercy. It's a pretty boring way to kill, actually."

"Alright. What do we do about Doom?" Natasha asked, ever the pragmatist.

"Actually, I had an idea about that." Tony's smile was far too pleased to put anyone's mind at ease.

~~~

Loki paced, needing to do something for the restless energy built up inside. He felt like he was drowning, itching at the idea of being watched by the others, of being locked up by the enemy. The stupid creature inside of him believed Tony to be safe, but they weren't in the Avengers' Tower. This was a SHIELD base, and Tony had very little authority there.

There was no cure. It was a thought that had been eating away at the back of his mind. He refused to believe that there was anything these pathetic mortals could create that he could not find a way to counteract. However, even as his thoughts raced, the despair crawled through the knot in his gut up into his throat, making him choke on whines he forced himself to swallow. He was not going to whimper like a beaten dog. He was a prince, a rightful king once, but not now, no more. He had survived the misery of the fall from Asgard into the destroyed Bifrost, lost and alone. This felt much the same now, his body betraying him and taking his mind with it. Everything was wrong. Before, he could curl his broken heart around the vicious reminder that he was a monster that killed his own kind and betrayed those who professed to love him, something terrible enough to stand unique. Now, he truly was one of a kind, a combination of magic, blood, and mortal science that was unknown anywhere else in all the Nine Realms, and the knowing was driving him mad. Everything in his being craved to no longer be alone, to no longer be unique. His solitary nature ceased being a shield that had hardened around his shattered self, but instead was a freshly opened wound that was slowly bleeding him to death.

The door opened and Loki whipped around, stilling to see Tony in the entrance. The human walked in, closing the door, and Loki had a deep urge to sink to the floor, the creature deliriously happy to see its alpha. He clenched his teeth, forcing himself to stand tall.

Tony slowly walked into the room, studying the other werewolf. Loki's internal conflict was easy to read in his body and scent, but he wasn't sure he should point that out. True, he wasn't usually circumspect about such things, but he suspected Loki's sanity was hovering on a knife's edge. If the god lost what little control he had left, the world would burn.

"They've mostly cleared out of observation," Tony said, putting his hands behind his back. "Bruce is the only guy there right now. He watched over me during the change, so he has the best idea of what to expect."

"Are you expecting something from me, Mr. Stark?" Loki asked, raising an eyebrow.

"You're very proper. You know that, right?" Tony made a vague, waving gesture. "I keep expecting you to spit out our last names like a bad taste, but you're always using proper titles."

"How very observant of you."

"Yeah, well, stop it. Being called 'mister' makes me think I need to put on an act."

"Do you not feel the need to act before me?" Loki inquired. Neither of them had moved, but Tony suspected that, if he was to march forward, the other wolf might actually cower.

Instead of walking toward Loki, Tony began to slowly circle the walls, keeping his distance. "Well, we obviously don't know each other very well, nor do either of us truly want to, I'm thinking. Still, we're the only two of our kind, or as close as we can get being different species to begin with."

"What are you saying, Mr. Stark?"

"Stark," Tony corrected. "No 'mister'. And I'm saying that we should try to figure out what our relationship is to each other now."

Loki's lips curled into a sneer, his own disgust and anger at his situation burning hot. "We do not have a relationship, Stark."

"No, I'm pretty sure we do," Tony said, smiling in pleasure. "I seem to remember kicking your ass earlier. I'm pretty sure you offered me your throat."

Loki's stomach tightened sickeningly. "I suppose that you now consider yourself in control of me, my pack leader? What does that mean?"

"Well, that's sort of my point. I know how that makes me feel around the others, but you're different because you're also a werewolf. As much as we don't like it, I think we need to work together to figure this out."

"I have no interest in working with you or any of your pathetic Avengers," Loki snarled.

Tony tucked his hand into his pockets, rocking on the balls of his feet for a moment. "Thanks, by the way."

The comment distracted Loki, confusing him. "What do you have to thank me for?"

"For using my name like I asked and dropping the title."

Loki stared at him, mind racing back over the conversation they'd just had. He frowned in frustration when he realized Tony was correct. "An unfortunate slip."

"Yeah. Strange how that happens after I tell you not to do it."

Loki bristled with rage. "You think to order me--"

"Stop, Loki. Sit down. You're going to give me a headache."

"I do not take commands from--"

Tony's eyes met Loki's in a hard stare, the pleasantness fading from his face. "Sit," he snapped, tone brooking no argument. "Now."

Loki's legs immediately weakened, gracelessly dumping him onto the bed. Loki's eyes were wide at Tony's command, startled, and then realization at his immediate obedience sank in. Tony could see the panic rise in his green eyes.

"Relax," he said softly, trying to be soothing. "That was just an example, alright? The submission obviously means something because, trust me, ordinarily I would never think to snap orders at you. Well..." He considered that statement. "Maybe I would, but I'd expect someone to get their ass kicked afterwards."

Loki breathed, his hands clenching with the desire to fling a spell or a dagger, anything to be rid of the annoying mortal. He rose again, fingers tightening around a dagger that he didn't recall summoning. Tony stilled, noticing the weapon, but he didn't seem afraid. Loki slowly stalked toward him, as if every step was painful, determined to put an end to his own suffering. He wouldn't have to obey if the other man was dead. He walked until he stood before Tony, every instinct screaming to submit, to drop the weapon, to sink to the floor.

Tony watched Loki struggle, dagger clenched but hesitant. He believed the man would do it. Loki killed mercilessly and for his own entertainment. He knew Loki wanted to, but he suspected it was more than just the wolf holding back. "Loki," he said softly, making the Asgardian twitch in surprise; he was that tense. "I know what you want to do, and I can't really blame you. You think getting rid of me will shut the wolf up, but it won't. This is not me wanting to control you. I'm a loner by nature, but when this all happened, I was going out of my mind. Having a pack, having people to turn to..." Tony winced for a moment, and then he shrugged. "Well, it's a pain in the ass, honestly. It's nice to have a place to belong, but it sucks to have people to answer to. But it shut the wolf up. It's like two gears in a machine. You and the wolf are grinding against each other. If that keeps up, you're going to grind down until something breaks and the machine won't work. A pack is like the lubricant that makes the two parts work together. It gives you back your control."

"You will have the control," Loki snarled, pointing the dagger at Tony. "You and your pathetic team."

"Only until you're ready to move up. It has its disadvantages for everyone. Barton would rather let his eyes be eaten by crows than trust you. No one really wants a person who is cruel for kicks in their home."

"I'm the one who needs to change. I'm the one who must bend and compromise, not Agent Barton, and not you."

Tony wanted to bang his head into the wall. "Do you know how much easier it would be to beat you into submission? The wolf makes you nearly indestructible, which means you can take an awful lot of damage. Do you really think we're not capable of dishing it out, knowing nothing we do is likely to kill you? I am trying to compromise with you to give both of us some measure of freedom and sanity. Granted, you'll be the one making the most compromises, but that's mostly because you're the one that has no problem eating people and playing with your food." When Loki made no move to attack, his hand trembling from the war going on inside his mind, Tony reached up. He hooked one hand behind Loki's neck and pulled the guy down, pressing their foreheads together and closing his eyes. It allowed him to take in the details of Loki's scent: crisp and cool like winter snow and spring grass. He halfway expected Loki to jerk back, to flinch or fight, but the other wolf was still, frozen to the spot. It felt good to touch Loki, not in any kind of naughty way because he wasn't suicidal, but he couldn't explain it other than knowing that Loki wanted it as much as he did.

"I'm not asking you to be an Avenger," Tony murmured softly. "You don't have to stick your neck out for humanity. I'm just asking for you to not be a villain."

"The others..." Loki whispered.

"You will work your way up. I'm pretty sure you'll probably manage to kick everyone's ass. Then you won't feel so vulnerable."

Loki swallowed. "You'll let me advance?"

"Of course," he said with a frown. "The more you advance, the more you'll be imbedded in the pack and the more comfortable you'll feel." He also believed that the higher Loki went, the less likely he'll want to be the pack leader and be responsible for everyone. He was sure the need to protect would kick in with a proper pack setting. It sure did for him.

"Did you have any further steps in this plan of yours?" Loki finally asked, although he didn't pull away.

"I'm weighing the pros and cons of hugging you," Tony said a bit sheepishly. "The wolf would love it to pieces, but we may have to never breathe word of this encounter again."

Despite a large part of him wanting to writhe in pleasure at the thought, Loki recoiled at the suggestion. "I am not hugging you, Stark."

"Oh, thank God," Tony sighed, stepping back. "Talk about awkward." He glanced down at the dagger, but then back up to Loki. "So, will you at least try?"

Loki vanished the dagger, crossing his arms in a way he really hoped was not sulky but suspected he failed. "For now."

"Good. I'd hate to think that someone like Hammer kicked your ass. It would make our defeat of you slightly less awesome."

Loki narrowed his eyes at the human. "I'm not the only one who walked knowingly into that trap."

"Fair point," Tony said. He shrugged before turning to the mirror on the wall. "Hey, Bruce. Where are we on the whole regicide thing?"

"You need permission for a royal coup?" Loki asked.

Tony shrugged again. "It's only legal if there's paperwork involved."

"I will remember that."

"You two teaming up may be the worst thing that will ever happen to this planet," Bruce's voice announced over the intercoms. "The mission is green with a few caveats, so if you guys want to actually join the debriefing?"

"We need paperwork and instructions?" Loki raised an eyebrow, following Tony out of the room.

"Just because your plans suck doesn't mean you can make fun of ours."

"I am mortified that I was defeated by you."


	21. Part Twenty-one

Loki liked this plan. The wolf wasn't terribly fond of it, however. Something about having his pack leader bound, gagged, and leashed beside him bothered the creature. It made him feel ill at ease. The idea was that the two wolves would gain entrance into Doom's palace by Loki pretending to deliver Tony in exchange for the cure. To that effect, Tony was stumbling beside him, having been not-so-gently attacked by Natasha. The wounds had long healed but his clothing was ripped and bloodied. He had manacles on his wrists, a gag in his mouth, and a thick collar around his neck that was attached to a chain held in Loki's hand. He'd conjured the set, making it out of red leather and gold to mock the man's usual armor.

Loki very much liked this plan. If the molten gold of his eyes was anything to go by, Tony was not nearly as amused.

Once they reached the front gate, Loki grasped the leash close to the base of the collar and pulled, forcing Tony down onto his knees. The other werewolf growled behind the gag but Loki ignored it. As much as he loathed to admit it, Tony had been right: it was much easier to be himself once he'd accepted being part of the pack, despite his manhandling of the alpha.  
There was a small screen beside the gate, blank until Loki reached up and stroked a finger over it. "Victor," he crooned again. "Wake up, mortal. I have something for you."

It took a few moments of patiently waiting, something Loki was surprisingly good at, until an image of Doom appeared before them. "I am not well-disposed toward your insolent address, Loki."

"Rarely does my presence provide good humor," Loki replied, a small smile on his face. "I believe I may have something to sweeten your mood. How do you feel about dogs?" He pulled up on the chain, painfully forcing Tony to rise. True to his part, not to mention that being yanked around hurt, Tony struck out with his bound wrists, but even his lycanthropic strength didn't budge the Asgardian werewolf. Loki spared him an unimpressed glance, and then forced him back down to his knees. "You may have to house train him."

There was silence from the illusion for a long moment as Doom studied Tony mutely. "I was under the impression from our last conversation that you were uninterested in making a deal with me."

"An admittedly hasty reaction," Loki said, displeasure turning the corners of his mouth down. "The... creature has its own ideas and acts on them sometimes."

"I'm not sure I believe that you would forgive so quickly your infection."

Loki's answering smile was chilling. "We will discuss forgiveness at a later date. I'm not interested in keeping this animal's presence any longer."

"He is secure?" Doom asked, gesturing to Tony.

Loki's eyebrows rose. "Surely you're not frightened of Tony Stark?"

"He is resourceful," Doom said coldly.

"Then cut off his hands," Loki suggested with a small shrug. "He can hardly cause trouble that way."

Down beside him, Tony kicked Loki in the leg, snarling and a little worried. Loki simply stepped on the chain, forcing Tony's face to the floor.

"Do be silent, Stark," he drawled. "They'll eventually grow back."

Tony howled and continued to struggle, but the growing fear in his scent eased. As long as Loki was still dropping the title, Tony had to believe he was just playing along.

The threat seemed to work for Doom, however. The image disappeared and the gate opened, allowing Loki to step up to the waiting Doombots. Tony, however, grabbed the door of the gate, trying to use the leverage to pull away.

"He is persistent," Doom observed through one of the sentinels.

"He seems fond of his hands," Loki replied dryly. He kicked Tony in the side, slamming him into the door. Tony crumpled, wheezing for air and Loki casually dragged him in. Tony glared hatefully up at him.

"His eyes appear inhuman."

"A side effect of the transformation." Loki turned his head to look at Doom, allowing him to see his own eyes. "Mine are normal, but when the interior color overruns the primary shade, the wolf is close to the surface."

"Can you force him to change?"

"Perhaps." He seemed thoughtful as he observed the recovering wolf. "But not out here. Let us do this in person, or are you lying to me about having a cure?"

The bots turned to lead them inside. "You are so eager to be rid of such power, Asgardian."

"I have enough power of my own. I have no need for what little this infection of yours offers."

"Unfortunately, you will have to accept it." The doors closed behind them, untouched. The bots turned, facing them. "I will have to find a charming collar for you, to match the human's."

"What? You mean, this collar?" Loki said, lifting his hand. At the gesture, the collar and gag disappeared. Most of the manacles did as well, leaving behind two bracelets on Tony's wrists.

Tony's hand uncurled around a controller. He pushed the button, setting off the electromagnetic pulse that would fry the lock on the gate. "Jarvis, the suit, please," he spoke into the mic.

"The suit is deployed, sir," the AI replied.

Meanwhile, Loki spun, throwing out two knives. Each buried themselves into the throats of the Doombots. When they collapsed, he stepped forward. A vicious twist severed each head. He turned in time to see Tony studying the door. "You kicked me," the alpha said without turning.

Loki snorted. "I barely touched you. I suggest you move away from the doors while Agent Romanoff destroys them."

"The suit will follow the tracking bands," Tony said, straightening. He gave Loki a wolfish grin, his own fangs peeking out. "Shall we hunt?"

A nasty smile curled Loki's lips. "After you, Stark."

Both wolves stalked their way down the corridors, scenting the air for their prey.

~~~

A charge blew the doors to the castle open, somewhat unnecessarily when the Hulk proceeded to beat what was left into the ground. The only instructions they'd been given was to keep the incident quiet for the time being, so the Avengers had needed to find a quiet way into the palace gate. Loki had provided that, so now that they were inside, they were free to do as they will.

"Hulk," Steve said, stepping inside. "Try not to level the place."

"Incoming," Natasha warned before the suit when flying past them, down the corridor and turning left.

Clint was kneeling by the downed Doombots, his eyes following the suit. "Loki took them out," he said. "I don't see any other damage, so they must have surprised Doom. Do we follow the suit toward Stark?" He looked up at Steve.

"Tony is the only one who could deploy the suit, so he and Loki must be working together to go after Doom. We won't know until the suit gets to him." Steve looked around. "We'll leave them to it. Loki thought the virus might be underground. Let's see if we can find a way down."

Natasha had moved down to the intersection of the hall. "We're clear, Cap," she murmured into the comm.

"Hulk, Hawkeye, go straight. Widow and I will take the right. Thor, you follow after Tony and Loki." The team split up, going into their specified directions.

~~~

It took very little time for the suit to catch up with them. They could easily hear the repulsors as the suit blasted its way toward them. Tony stopped, holding out his arms and waiting. The suit sailed to him, righting itself and curling about him in mechanical clicks and whirls. Loki would never admit it, but it was rather elegant to watch.

"Brother!"

Loki winced, glancing down the hall as Thor ran down toward them. "This is why we shouldn't take him hunting," Tony observed.

"This is why I don't take him anywhere." Loki's expression was sour, but he blinked as, with a soft sigh, a door came down between the wolves and Thor.

Thor snorted at the impediment, shifting Mjolnir in his hand and continuing forward. The other doors around him opened at once, and spiderbots started filtering into the room, dozen of them. Thor smiled in pleasure.

~~~

"What the hell was that?" Tony asked, walking forward. "It looks like a blast door."

"Doom knows we're here, of course," Loki replied. "He is smart to keep us separated."

"Good point. Thor, are you there?" Tony said into the comm in his helmet.

"I am well, Stark. I am..." There was a grunt and a crunch over the line, "a bit occupied at the moment."

"Iron Man, can you back him up?" Steve asked.

"Nope. Doom pulled a blast door down between us. Loki's still here with me."

"Do not concern yourself, friends." Mechanical chittering and the steady swing and crunch of the hammer accompanied Thor's words. "This is but a minor annoyance."

Loki had turned away, unable to participate without a comm device. He carefully opened the door they had been approaching, crouched low to peek inside. He frowned, looking back at Tony.

"We've found Doom," Tony murmured, reading Loki's expression. "Something's up. Be careful, everyone."

"Roger that," Barton added.

Loki took point, opening the door as he stood, stepping casually in. The room was large, Doombots lining the wall at intervals like silent sentinels. At the far end was a throne on a dais where Doctor Doom sat, watching them. Loki breathed in, familiar with the villain's scent. It was definitely him. "You made it fairly easy for us to get to you, Victor. That may not have been the wisest course."

"I'm keeping myself occupied with the others," Doom replied, watching the two of them enter. "How low the mighty fall, Loki."

The Asgardian smiled faintly. "I find it rather refreshing. Stark is entertaining when he's annoying someone else."

"Thanks," Tony added dryly.

Doom glanced in Tony's direction. There was the sudden twang of cables being released, then Tony felt them wrap around his exposed joints like whips. Before he could turn around to find the source, electricity ripped through his boy, making him stiffen and jerk. He could feel himself being dragged across the floor, helpless to stop it until the current cut off. Stunned, he was pulled into the arms of the Doombot that had shot the cables, then crackling beams of power hummed to life, the electricity caging him in to a small circle of space.

Loki had turned to assist his alpha, but three other Doombots had attacked. It only took him moments to dispose of them, but by then, Tony was trapped. He studied Tony's cage for a moment, a deep unease pouring through his belly. The wolf was afraid. Powerful as he was, Loki was still the current omega of the pack, and he felt it keenly that he was essentially alone in front of the enemy. He could handle Doom, but it concerned him that the human sorcerer had purposefully isolated him.

"Thor, your assistance would be useful," Tony said into the comm, teeth grit as he tried to control his angry wolf. He studied the edges of his cage. He was pretty sure the electrical field wouldn't kill him, but it would take him down for a little while and leave him without an operational suit. He didn't hear a reply, his attention grabbed by the visuals that Doom pulled up. In one, he could see Natasha and Steve battling in a dark, narrow hallway against Doombots. In another, Thor was being nearly overwhelmed by the spiderbots, the smaller bodies more difficult for him to deal with. Sheer numbers were swarming him. In the third, Barton moved by the Hulk's side. Neither of them seemed to be injured in anyway.

"So you have me alone," Loki said, barely glancing at the holographic screens. "What was the point in that?"

Doom rose from his throne. "When choosing between two wolves, it's always easier to control the submissive." He casually started down the steps, toward Loki. "You are the weakest. You are unmoved by the plight of the others in ways Stark is not. I can see him avidly watching you all. There is hope in him, that they will overcome. Shall I take that hope from him?"

Doom didn't wait for an answer. He made a gesture. On the screen, Clint stilled, looking around. Worry painted his face for a moment, an arrow readied, and then he coughed. He looked around and coughed harder, like something was starting to choke him.

"Poison? How unimaginative," Loki said.

"A potion to incite rage."

"Yeah, if your plan is to get the Hulk to pulverize Hawkeye, that's not going to work," Tony said, watching the screen. "The potion won't work on the big guy."

"No, but it will work on the little one." Doom's tone was amused. "And his attacks will, I believe, provoke the Hulk just the same."

Sure enough, on the screen, they could slowly see the tension eat into Clint. He shot the arrow at something off-screen, whipping around nearly frantically, still choking. The Hulk seemed surprised and unhappy that he was reacting as he was.

"He won't be able to defeat the green creature in a fight," Loki said. "The creature will destroy him and there is nothing Agent Barton can do." On the screen, Barton shot the Hulk with an arrow, making him roar in anger. "Such potions do not last long."

"Long enough."

"Why are you showing me this?" Loki asked. "Do you believe that I would care about the agent's well-being?" He did, actually. Somewhere in the back of his mind, he worried about the developing situations. He could hear Tony muttering to Thor, ordering him to forget them, to help Clint, but Thor couldn't call his lightening from inside the building. He was starting to look bloodied. Natasha and Steve looked exhausted, but the two were heading back to the upper levels, racing along to presumably do what they could.

"This is not for you, Loki. All of that," he gestured to the screens, "is to keep Stark occupied."

Loki looked at him, his stomach tightening as he tried to anticipate Doom's next move. On the screen, the Hulk was starting to tear apart the room in his anger, and Clint was quickly coming out of the influence of the potion in his fear. The wolf inside him writhed. Clint once belonged to him. It was enough to make him vibrate with the desire to help. "You have made a--"

An explosion in front of his face made Loki jerk back. "Loki!" he heard Tony shout. He raised his hands to his face, blinking past the burn in his eyes, mouth, and nose.

"Was that supposed to do something?" he wheezed, looking up at Doom.

Doom helped up a small gun that he'd apparently shot the powder from. "According to legend, silver is deadly to a werewolf, but you're an Asgardian. I wonder if it will kill you, or just put you in agonizing pain?"

Already, the powder was beginning to burn into his eyes and throat. The taste on his tongue was terrible, but the pain was slowly overshadowing it. He saw it on the screen that the Hulk had Clint cornered, that Natasha and Steve had finally reached Thor as his brother was being buried under broken and active bots, and Tony howled in rage and frustration, beginning to attack the floor of his cage. He didn't have time for this. Loki reached out, sinking claws between Doom's jaw and the mask that covered his face, then ripped the metal away. Doom screamed, dropping the gun and clutching his face as Loki whirled, disappearing. He arrived to block the Hulk's downswing with his own arm, protecting Clint. A complicated step and twist and he threw the Hulk back across the room. He stumbled for a moment, his throat raw and painful, but then he crouched protectively in front of Clint.

The Hulk righted himself and hit the ground, roaring at Loki. The werewolf snarled a challenge in return, baring his teeth at the green monster. His throat burned like fire, feeling more stripped and raw as the moments passed, his sight nearly blinded by tears at the pain in his eyes. He refused to back down, however. When the Hulk threw something at him, testing his resolve, he blocked it, howling at the creature until he choked on his own blood. Still, he didn't back down, his power bristling about him like a coat of fur.

The Hulk was used to Tony acting like this, not Loki. A part of him knew that Loki was part of the pack and that Loki was beneath him. The silver blistered Loki's skin, blood beginning to seep from his mouth. The Hulk huffed, then grabbed Clint's discarded bow and snapped it. He turned away, going back to the doors and taking his rage out on them.

Clint moved cautiously, feeling a bit ill from whatever the hell that gas was and the subsequent near death experience. "Loki?"

Loki turned blindly, baring his teeth as he backed away from Clint. Clint swallowed, eyes wide at the state of the werewolf. Blood trickled from the corner of Loki's mouth, his breath wheezing. His eyes were watering and badly swollen, the lids blistering. As Clint watched, the tears started to tint red with blood. "What the hell happened to you?" he asked, horrified.

Loki jerked at his voice and backed away more. He lowered his face, taking several deep breaths. "Make yourself useful, Agent Barton," he whispered thickly, the words clumsy in his mouth. "Water."

Clint blinked, but then nodded. "Right." He moved toward the door, the Hulk turning to look at him. He held up his hands harmlessly. "Hey, big guy. Just have to help Loki, unless you can calm down and do it." The Hulk went back to the door, finally breaking it down. Clint looked around for water.

"Guys," he said into the comm. "What the hell is going on?"

"Hawkeye, get Banner back if you can. We're clear here, for now," Tony said. "Doom put powdered silver in Loki's face and I don't know what that's doing to him."

"Nothing pretty," Clint replied, not finding what he needed. "What about Doom?"

"Loki ripped his mask off."

"And that makes him a quivering weakling?"

"Considering the mask was put in place when it was still hot from the forge, yeah, it kind of does incapacitate him a bit."

Clint flinched. "Ouch. Payback's a bitch. I'll see what I can do on this end. Help will be useful when you can spare it." He turned back to Loki to see the Hulk crouched near him, huffing. "Hey, Bruce?" he said carefully. "We really kind of need you here. If you can calm down, I'd appreciate it." He walked cautiously around the big guy to face the werewolf. Loki was curled up, gasping wetly. "Loki, there's no water here. We need to move you." When his hand touched his shoulder, Loki jerked back violently. "Hey," Clint said, crouching down. "You saved my life just now. I'm not going to kick your ass while you're down. I can't help you in this room." Loki didn't reply, nor did he react well when Clint touched him again. "Fine," he said. "I'm going to look for water." He looked at the Hulk, but big and green just looked worried. Clint shook his head and cautiously went searching.

Fortunately the palace, despite its crazed reinforcements, was still a home. There was a bathroom not far from where he'd left Loki and the Hulk. It took some digging around to find something he could carry water in, but finally, he managed to cart some back. When he arrived, it was to see Bruce carefully studying Loki's face. The scientist looked beyond exhausted, one hand clutching his destroyed pants, but his eyes were clear and intent.

"I found water and a wash cloth," Clint said, setting everything down beside the other two men. He stood guard while Bruce began to gently clean Loki up the best he could. It was a surprisingly short time until Tony and Thor came moving down the corridor.

"How is he?" Tony asked, looking inside the room.

"Not good," Bruce answered for Clint. He tried dripping more water into Loki's eyes to clear them of the powder. He was having trouble from the swelling and that Loki kept choking up blood. "His eyes are swollen shut and I think his lungs are bleeding. I need to get him out of here."

"All of that from silver?" Clint asked, appalled.

"I'm going to test it at a lab to be sure. Most likely it's in his bloodstream, so we haven't seen the worst yet."

"SHIELD has arrived to take Doom into custody. Steve and Natasha went back downstairs to poke around," Tony said. He stepped into the room, walking over to Loki. He crouched down, gently touching the other wolf's black hair.

"I'll take him back to base and see what I can do," Bruce murmured. "Help me get him to the quinjet then find what we came here for."


	22. Part Twenty-two

Tony sat in the lab, staring at the mess around him. They had found a lot of things in the basement of Doom's castle, including plenty of traps. SHIELD was sorting through a lot of it, but he had taken everything he could find on the lycanthropy virus, holing up in the lab assigned for his use. He didn't know how he felt about what he'd seen. Virology, quantum mechanics, and magic were not his areas of expertise. Judging by what he saw, he would hazard a guess to say they weren't Doom's either. From what he could tell, the virus had been an accident.

"I thought you hated the smell of alcohol," Bruce asked as he slipped into the room.

"I hate a lot of things. You learn to ignore it." He offered the last of the scotch to Bruce, but the other scientist just shook his head.

Bruce's eyes took in the number of empty bottles laying around, starting to grow worried. "Did you drink all of these?"

"Yep." Tony swallowed the last of the glass, and then absently chucked it across the room. It shattered against the wall.

"Tony, there are six bottles of scotch here."

"I was almost tipsy, but I lost the buzz pretty quickly." He looked at Bruce, face bland but his eyes dark with pain. "I'm pretty pissed off, actually."

Bruce sighed, sitting on the table beside Tony. He gestured to Doom's notes. "Find anything?"

"Not a damn thing." Tony ran a hand down the front of his face before rubbing at his eyes. "There is nothing in here that explains how he got from experimental bioengineering to quantum genetic splicing."

"What were the original parameters of the experiment?"

"Making an involuntary shape shifting spell into something transmittable. Near as I can tell, the plan was to turn an innocent civilian population into gerbils or some stupid shit like that." He sighed, finally looking at the doctor. "How's Loki?" He could smell the other werewolf's blood still.

Bruce looked around the room absently. "Not too good. I wasn't sure if he could survive drowning in his own blood so I tried to intubate him. You can imagine how well that went."

"Is it healing at all?"

"As near as I can tell, he shouldn't be susceptible to human poisons at all. It only hurt him because he's a werewolf, so his super new healing isn't working. His natural physiology is trying to compensate and heal the damage, but the silver is still in his system."

"And that means what?" Tony asked. "Give me a general idea of what we're looking at."

Bruce was silent for a long moment. "Remember how your body rejected the shrapnel?" Tony nodded. "Like that, expect the shrapnel is powdered metal and microscopic. By the way, I'd avoid silver as if your life depended on it, because it probably does."

"No kidding." He looked down at the tips of his shoes. He wished he could be drunk and just forget about the damage Loki had suffered. Sure, a part of him thought the guy deserved a bit of punishment, but the shrapnel leaving his body had been agonizing. No one deserved to suffer like that. "Is he going to survive?"

"I'm optimistic. Thor seems to think he will." Bruce studied his companion. "Maybe you should go check on him, Tony. Maybe you both won't feel so alone then."

Tony shot Bruce a dark look. "Below the belt."

"But true. Both of your wolves want it, so why waste the energy fighting it?"

"Since when do you encourage people to cuddle up to the enemy?" Tony asked, feeling irate and objectionable.

"Since said enemy saved Clint's life."

The haunted look on Bruce's face as he turned away gave Tony pause to think about what had happened. "Bruce--"

"The Other Guy could have killed him and Loki, of all people, saved him." Bruce looked down at his hands. "He made the Other Guy submit, made him back down. Guess he's not really at the bottom of the pack anymore, huh? I'm not saying we shouldn't be cautious. He's still a bag full of cats, but he tried, and he did it while suffering, and that should count for something."

"To us, maybe," Tony said. "What about the rest of the world? He killed a lot of people." He wasn't arguing with Bruce, but the Chitauri attack wasn't something that could be forgiven so easily.

"It doesn't make up for it, but maybe it makes up for enslaving Clint. That's up to him, I suppose. The point is he's trying, so I'm thinking we should give him the room to continue to try. Besides," Bruce gave him a wry smile, "it's not like he's getting away from us any time soon, not if what you said about Doom's notes is true."

Tony sighed, looking around at the mess. "Fine. If you're tagging me in to Loki-sitting duty, then you get to play with Doom's insane ramblings."

"Deal."

Tony sighed, pushing himself off the desk and heading out into the corridors. Loki was in the room he'd first awoken in after the infection. It was the best room they had for quarantine. Although he hadn't been in it for six months, something about the room still made him feel safe and sheltered; ridiculous with the cameras and one way mirror, but still true.

The smell of blood and sickness reached him before he arrived at the door. He frowned, easing himself in. Loki was on the bed, bare except for the sheet tangled around his waist. His pale skin was flushed with fever, sweat making his hair and the sheets stick to him. The blistering on his face had healed some since Tony had last seen him, but his eyes were still swollen closed and his face and bedding was speckled with blood. He gasped for air, the sound rattling in his lungs as he struggled to breathe.

Tony had seen the videos of himself as his body rejected the shrapnel. He honestly wasn't sure what was more horrible, his tortured screams, or Loki's agonized silence. He walked over to the bed and sat on the edge of it. Even in the delirium of fever, Loki flinched away from his presence, but Tony reached out. A part of him didn't want to touch the naked, sweaty Asgardian, but he couldn't help himself. He pushed some of Loki's hair back from his face. The contact made Loki still. He couldn't see, nor could he smell who was there, and he was probably too delirious to understand words anyway, but he seemed to know who it was regardless. A thin whine gurgled from his throat, and then he moved, practically crawling into Tony's arms. Whatever embarrassment Tony might have felt vanished at his pack mate's desperation. He held Loki, stroking his back as he pulled him as close as he could.

After that point, Tony didn't leave Loki's side. He fed him, made sure he had water and company, even giving him sponge baths when he'd sweated out enough of the silver to make his skin burn. Tony suffered his share of reactions to the silver Loki was excreting, but he ignored it. He refused to let his forebrain think too much about it. He just knew that he'd offered Loki a place to belong, so he was going to hold up his end of the bargain.

After two days, Loki was finally able to vocalize, his breathing evening out. His eyes cleared up, but he was still suffering from the silver in his blood. Four days after they attacked Doom, Tony was startled awake by being pushed out of the bed.

"Go shower, Stark," Loki mumbled. "You smell like you bathed in alcohol."

"Seriously?" Tony said, staring at him. "That was three days ago."

Loki opened one eye, hollowed with exhaustion. "Three days? I pity the poor healers who have had to enter this room. Bathe, Stark. Now."

Tony had grumbled but obeyed. That evening, Loki joined them for dinner. Thor was carefully attentive to anything Loki might need, which the younger sibling mercilessly abused. Thor, to everyone's amusement, was aware of Loki's tricks but played along to please his brother.

The next morning, Fury called a team meeting, ordering Loki to attend as well. The former prince did not appear impressed by the summons.

"Now that everyone can focus on the problem at hand," Fury started, "I'd like to know what you might have learned from Doom's notes."

"Has Doom said anything?" Tony asked curiously.

"Unfortunately, his lips went with the mask, so we're having some trouble understanding him," Natasha answered calmly. "He doesn't heal as fast as Loki does."

Bruce sighed. "We won't have anything either. It doesn't look like Doom actually knew how it worked. He knew it did work, but not the mechanics of it, and it didn't accomplish what he'd wanted, so he scrapped it."

"What was he trying to do?" Fury asked.

"Apparently there's a spell that can change a person into an animal involuntarily." Bruce glanced at Loki, who silently nodded. "Doom seemed to think that would be a simple way to hold people hostage, so he was trying to create a means to do it to groups without expending his own energy."

"Why would he pick a wolf, though?" Clint asked. "I mean, there are easier animals to contain."

"You expected this to make sense?" Tony was a bit incredulous.

"Mortal superstition," Loki murmured. He glanced around the table. "Werewolves seem to be one of the most common shape shifters in Midgardian legends. Sometimes a victim's beliefs make it easier to perform certain magics on them." He shrugged. "It's not a variable I like to consider in my work, but he might have needed it."

"That would explain why the resulting product, if you will, is so close to modern mythology instead of traditional legend." Bruce looked at Loki thoughtfully. "They don't react to the full moon, so I wouldn't have expected a silver allergy, particularly in Loki, but it's a common vulnerability in werewolf stories."

"Which actually makes no sense in Loki and Tony, considering silver is a vulnerability for its association with the moon, and the moon doesn't do a damn thing to them," Clint said with a shrug.

"Again, you expected this to make sense?" Tony leaned forward, looking at Fury. "We're having a couple of problems figuring out what the hell Doom did. First, the virus was an accident, so even he doesn't know how he did it. That wouldn't be too hard if we could reverse engineer the virus, but it combines elements of bio-engineering, virology, quantum mechanics, and magic. Bruce and I could figure out the science, but we don't understand the magic, which means we don't understand the whys. Loki could figure out the magic, but he doesn't know the science, so he won't understand the hows."

"So, the only way to figure out what he's done is to teach one or the both of you magic?" Steve asked.

Tony shrugged. "Or teach Loki the sciences involved. Either way, that's going to take some time."

"Based on what you've learned, is it possible to create a cure?"

Tony and Bruce shared a look. "It's possible," Loki answered. "But the time it would take to do so is impractical by mortal standards."

"Years?" Clint asked.

"More like decades," Tony mumbled.

"I was thinking closer to centuries," Loki rejoined. "The longer magic is in the body, the more ingrained it becomes and the more difficult it is to separate out. It becomes a part of the natural form." He tapped his fingers absently on the table. "It might be possible, given enough years, to remove the virus from Stark because of his lack of magic and how unnatural shape shifting is to him. However, shape shifting is one of my born talents. It will be extremely unlikely that we'll ever manage to untangle me from the lycanthropy."

"That is not an acceptable solution," Fury said, leaning against the table. "I am also not comfortable with giving Loki the means to recreate the virus."

"Why would I need to?" Loki asked curiously. "I have the virus at my fingertips."

"That's another thing. How can we trust you not to pass it around?"

"Between the two of us, who is more likely to go hand-to-hand with someone?" Tony asked the table at large. "If you said me, you'd be right. I don't think I've ever seen Loki attack without a weapon or his magic."

"But you have the suit," Clint said.

"The suit doesn't have full gauntlets anymore."

Fury leaned forward, toward Tony. "As a member of the Avengers, you work closely with SHIELD. I can keep my eye on you. He," he jabbed a finger in Loki's direction, "is classified as a villain."

"Yeah, well, he is a member of my pack with crashing privileges in my tower. Sleeping," Tony corrected quickly. "'Crashing' is slang for staying or sleeping. You can stay at the tower. You can't crash it."

Loki didn't look particularly pleased, but it was hard to tell what he was thinking. "I assume this 'crashing' come with the understanding that I will not attempt to return to what you call my villainy."

"That would be a good assumption."

"I am not your pet dog, Stark," he growled, rising from the table and stalking out.

Tony stared after him. "Wait, what?" He launched up, chasing after Loki. "Loki, stop!" Loki stilled in a hall that suddenly became quite empty. "What the hell was that about?"

"What do you intend to do with me, Stark?" Loki asked. "Lock me up inside your glass tower? To do what?"

"Jesus, don't you have a hobby?"

"Your people refer to me as the god of mischief. What do you think my hobbies might include?"

"What the hell did you do on Asgard for eons?"

"I was a prince!" he nearly shouted. "I had duties and responsibilities!"

Tony blinked at him. "Wait. You don't want to stay at the tower and behave because you don't have a job to keep you entertained?"

"Do not mock me, Stark," Loki snarled.

"I'm not mocking you." When Loki's glare darkened, he sighed. "Okay, maybe a little. If you want a job, we'll find you one."

"I do not want a mortal job." He looked affronted.

"You could always work with us," Tony said. "With SHIELD." Tony considered for a long moment, and then smiled slightly. "You know, Pepper is the CEO of the company now. I haven't been able to keep another personal assistant since her."

Loki stared at him. "You want me to assist you?"

"Well, that's what a prince does, right? The king delegates and takes care of the big things, the prince handling the next biggest thing and keeping the king aware of what is going on."

"Do you have any idea what you're talking about?"

"Not a clue," he said cheerfully, "but you might actually be good at it, if you don't destroy the world in a fit of boredom."

Loki stared at him. "Have you taken leave of your senses? Why would I want to be your assistant?"

"Well, it keeps you close and in the pack. You'll probably end up working your way close to second in command anyways."

"You would trust me with your life like that?"

"Pepper is going to have a huge say. She's always the one telling me what to do, so she'll probably watch you like a hawk at first."

Loki just stared at him, looking stunned. "Why would I want to follow your human rules?"

"What rules? I'm Tony fucking Stark. You are going to have to answer to the Avengers and, subsequently, SHIELD while you're here anyways. Look, I tell you what. Talk to Pepper about it, let her train you, and see what you think. If you don't like it, we'll try to come up with something else." Tony stepped up to him, putting a hand on his shoulder as he watched warily. "You have nowhere else to go, Loki," he murmured. "Give it a shot and see what you think."

They both heard the door open behind them. Loki looked away but Tony stayed watching him, not wanting to give him the chance to run. "Hey, Bruce," he said, not bothering to look. The scent may be a little difficult to catch in the hallway, but Tony knew that heartbeat.

"Hey, guys," Bruce replied, stepping up to them. "Everything okay?"

Loki looked at him, debating his answer. "For now," he said, straightening his clothing. He'd refused a human outfit, instead preferring his Asgardian leathers.

"Nick getting nervous?" Tony asked.

Bruce shrugged. "I didn't want either of you blowing anything up. Actually..." He looked around, his scent betraying his increasing nerves, "I thought there might be something I could do to help."

"Help?" He had the attention of both werewolves.

"Yeah. I... uh, I know what you did for Barton at the castle." He was trying not to fidget, breathing deeply to keep calm. He knew it was the right thing to do. "You made the Other Guy back down."

"I did," Loki confirmed slowly, his bemusement obvious. Tony's eyes, however, widened. He had a feeling he knew what Bruce was going to do.

"Bruce--"

"No, Tony. If we're really going to do this, then it's only fair." Before either Tony could object again, Bruce moved up to Loki, swallowing past the knot of fear in his throat, then tipped his head, offering his neck to the villain.

Loki stared at him in confusion for a long moment. Slowly, his eyes widened as the wolf's instincts reached his forebrain. "I thought you weren't the next in line," he said, sounding almost breathless.

"Orientation in the hierarchy is a little more fluid between us humans."

Loki looked down at the neck being offered to him, stunned that Bruce was submitting so freely. True, he had made the Hulk back down, but he hadn't expected that to mean anything beyond the moment. He cautiously put a hand onto Bruce's shoulder. When the man didn't flinch, Loki was unable to resist and pushed, startling both Bruce and Tony. He quickly moved Bruce back up against the wall, crowding him, making Tony's pulse leap into his throat. Tony could hear the rapid thunder of both men's hearts, smell the myriad of emotions from them: Bruce filled with fear and determination, and Loki with excitement, longing, and no small amount of fear of his own. A growl of warning, protective and hot, tightened Tony's throat but died before he made a sound when Loki leaned in, gently putting just his lips against Bruce's neck like a lover's caress. He breathed in deeply, his eyes closing. Bruce blinked over Loki's shoulder, eyes focused on a random spot on the opposite wall as he breathed slowly and calmly despite the fear that curled from him. They stayed like that for a long moment, Bruce trapped in Loki's embrace, but then Loki made a soft sound and lifted his head, nose brushing against Bruce's temple in a soothing gesture. He then stepped back, hands reluctantly leaving the human.

"We're going to have to work on your cuddle aggression," Tony said, highly entertained even as he carefully watched Bruce. Despite both of them being dominant to the Hulk, Tony still didn't want to deal with the Other Guy on the helicarrier again.

"I can curse you, Stark," Loki replied lightly, his tone dry and insincere. Bruce finally let out a light chuckle, shaking his head at the two of them.

"Why don't we go inside and figure out what we're going to do?" Bruce suggested. It was trying like trying to herd cats, dealing with the pair of them.

"Already done," Tony said, leading them back into the conference room. "I offered Loki a job as my PA."

"You did WHAT?" Fury sounded horrified.


	23. Chapter 23

Of course, nothing could be as easy as Tony made it all sound. Loki was installed into Stark Industries under the alias of Lucas Walker. Bruce taught Loki how to use human technology, and Pepper taught Loki how to do the job. She had been highly displeased by Tony’s initiative, arguing with him over the dangers of hiring the God of Mischief as a personal assistant. Loki was surprisingly cautious in the beginning, pleasant and patient to the point where Tony was actually concerned. It was hard to say how much the strain of becoming a lone werewolf had damaged his mind.

Two weeks after Loki had officially started, one of the men from the mail room had run into Loki with a cart, absently snapping at the taller man to get out of his way. Tony and Pepper had been keeping tabs on Loki, which was the only reason they had found out about the incident. Loki had not complained, had even apologized politely and stepped out of the path. Just when Tony started considering an intervention, he’d received a notice from Bruce as Loki’s physician saying that Loki needed to stay off his feet for the day. Puzzled, Tony had contacted Bruce and both men watched Loki that day through the security feed. To their surprise, the mail courier that had run into Loki was borrowed to run errands. By the end of the day, the courier was near tears, having run back and forth between Loki, Tony, and Pepper dozens of times, taking detours due to downed elevators and blocked hallways, and falling on the receiving end of Loki’s disapproving glance whenever things weren’t completed fast enough.

After that, Loki seemed to throw himself into the job. He ruled Tony’s schedule, dancing the line between organizer and dictator with a skill that impressed even Pepper. The depth to which he learned Tony’s professional life was almost worrying, considering he had started out as their enemy and was quite probably clinically insane. Tony didn’t get much of a chance to worry about it, however, because as soon as Loki’s claws were firmly buried into Tony’s career, he turned his attention to the company itself.

Loki became a shadowy wraith, a figure that haunted Stark Industries. He seemed to know everything about everyone. Not a whisper of gossip moved through the company that Loki didn’t know. He knew who was sick, who was transferring, where the complaints were, and every juicy tidbit about their competitors. He would pass on bits and pieces of information; a thought here, a comment there. At first, it was to the people he worked more directly with, but his net of influence quickly expanded.

When it came to Tony’s business dealings, Loki was less shady and far more ruthless. He protected Tony’s interests and investments, and by extension Pepper’s and the company’s, with precise calculation, much to the chagrin of Tony’s competitors. Pepper had been absolutely brilliant in her own way, but she was only human. Loki was a god with over a thousand years of experience as a prince in a kingdom like Asgard. He could disappear into the background, hidden and observant, or command the attention of an entire room simply by lifting an eyebrow.

His sudden and intense control over the company greatly surprised and alarmed everyone except Thor. When Pepper mentioned it, Thor had just chuckled fondly. It was Loki’s habit to learn the inner workings of the kingdom, to be the figure who whispered his knowledge and advice to the king in question. Before Thor’s failed coronation, Loki had rarely, if ever, steered them wrong.

He made mistakes, of course. Loki wasn’t human, so he would fail to understand the significance of some things, or lose his temper and insult someone he shouldn’t have. These incidents were almost always smoothed over by Pepper’s diplomacy or Tony’s casual humor. They were few, and he always learned from his mistakes. Somehow, Tony hadn’t expected Loki to adapt so quickly to human life. It wasn’t the job that left the god stumbling, however; it was his new home life.

There had been no question as to whether Loki would stay in the tower with the Avengers. The only other option had been locking Loki up with SHIELD and Tony flat-out refused. Tony was very aware that, while the decision was ultimately his, the other Avengers lived in the tower as well and might not be comfortable having Loki where they were supposed to be safe. Thor, of course, readily agreed, and Bruce had as well, but Steve, Clint, and Natasha had insisted on there being restrictions to his freedom. Tony was readying Loki his own floor, but for the safety and comfort of everyone, he was given a room in the penthouse where Tony stayed.

The restrictions limited Loki’s accessibility to the other floors and some of the common areas. Of course, Jarvis monitored his activities no matter where he was, and the knowledge of what Loki was doing was free to anyone who asked, unless the werewolf was in his room. That, Tony declared Loki’s den. Jarvis would report if he was doing something dangerous, but he was otherwise left alone there. The carefully laid restrictions and rules, however, turned out to be useless because, unless he was working, Loki rarely left his room. It became common to see ‘Lucas Walker’ moving around the common areas in an elegantly tailored suit, studying a tablet or speaking on his phone, but the moment Loki switched off the human persona, he disappeared into his room and rarely left.

Loki didn't seem to know what to do around any of them. Whenever Loki and Clint were in the same room, he turned hostile. He'd glare or bare his teeth or skulk out of the room, hackles high. He didn't act like that around anyone else, which left them all a little bewildered. Before the infection, Loki would taunt Clint, purring at him over his time as Loki's slave. Even once he'd been infected, he'd acted as if Clint's presence was merely an annoyance. The violence threw everyone for a loop, particularly Clint. It confused them all that Loki would take on the Hulk, one of the few of them who could wipe the floor with the god, to protect Clint and then turn around and act so aggressively. Tony had a hard enough time understanding his own instinctive motivations; Loki's made no sense to him.

Even more bizarrely, Loki avoided Bruce and Happy. Happy had submitted himself without challenge to Loki not long after he found out Bruce had as well. It was only right, considering their relative positions in the pack. He'd been very nervous doing so, defenseless against the Asgardian, but Loki had barely sniffed his throat before turning away, his body vibrating with restraint. In his role as Lucas Walker, he sometimes required Happy to cart him around, but he actually would take a cab more often than not, or hired his own driver temporarily. When questioned about why, he'd shrugged and said Happy was Tony's bodyguard and chauffer, so he needed to be available to the other man.

Loki might have reasoned his way through avoiding Happy, but there was no excuse for how he hid from Bruce. He didn't go so far as to leave a room when Bruce was there like he did Clint; he didn't have to. Ever since Tony had hired Loki and moved him into the tower, Loki had ended up in the same room as Bruce a grand total of one time. In that instance, it was when he'd requested the doctor's note to torment the mail courier with. Tony suspected Loki was using his nose to track Bruce and stay away from him, but he didn't know why. It should have calmed Loki to have his submissive pack mates around him, but he tried harder to avoid them than he did Natasha or Steve. His relationship with Thor was still delicate so he ignored his brother more often than not, and he treated Tony with absolute professional courtesy, as if the brunet was nothing more than his employer. Steve and Natasha were furniture as far as he could tell. Loki gave them no reason to order him around, and he didn't bother to avoid them. The only relationship that wasn't strained in the pack was with Pepper, with whom Loki was also perfectly professional, but since she was neither an Avenger nor a submissive, she had no problem with this. It confused the hell out of Tony, and made the wolf restless with discomfort. There was tension in his pack and he didn't like it.

Tony handled it much the way he handled any other discomfort: he worked. He ended up spending most of his time in his lab, working on his suit or a car or some piece of technology for the team, blasting everything from AC/DC to Beethoven over the speakers as he let his thoughts race over Loki's actions. Finally, one day, Loki swept into the lab with a tablet and folders, impeccably dressed in one of his dark suits, and lowered the volume of the music. Tony unfolded from where he'd been tucked under the hood of his car, frowning slightly. He was sweaty and dirty, dark grease and oil on his hands, the absolute opposite of the composed, flawless, and cool Loki Odinson.

"You have a five-thirty tomorrow with a senator," Loki said, barely glancing at Tony. "Ms. Potts arranged it. She also wants you to look over and sign this proposal in preparation for the meeting." He moved a wrench and set the folder down onto a spot on Tony's desk, all without glancing up from his tablet.

Tony just watched him, wiping his hands on a rag. "Loki, come here."

"Lucas, sir," Loki absently corrected. He glanced up. "I have some charity paperwork on my desk that I need to go through." He turned away, moving for the door. The cool, professional persona of Lucas Walker never once wavered.

"Jarvis, lock down the lab and silence incoming communications." At the door, Loki froze, one hand up to open it. Tony could smell the faintest hint of anxiety, but then Loki turned around.

"Mr. Stark," Loki said calmly, still firmly enacting his human self.

“I know which name I used and why," Tony said. He tossed the rag aside. "Loki," he repeated firmly, watching the slight stiffening of Loki's shoulders, "come here."

Without a word, Loki stepped forward, eyes on Tony's collarbone. He was trying to remain professional, using Lucas as a shield, but Tony could smell his rising frustration. Loki stopped in front of Tony, eyes still firmly fixed, which looked ridiculous considering how much taller he was than Tony. "Mr. Stark."

"Stark," the human corrected softly. It was a bad sign when Loki added titles to his name. "What's wrong?"

"I'm not aware of anything being wrong, Mr. Stark."

"You're avoiding your pack, Loki."

Loki's lips thinned, the only outward sign of the rage that burned swift through his scent. The anger made Tony blink in surprise. "They no more wish to spend time with me than I do with them."

Tony took the tablet from him, tossing the machine aside carelessly. He took hold of Loki's tie and sank to the ground, pulling the other werewolf down with him. Loki resisted for a moment before he slid to his knees. Tony went all the way down, crossing his legs as he continued to tug on the tie. "Come here," he said, coaxing Loki closer.

"I do not wish to be closer," Loki replied thinly.

"Why?"

"You are filthy and reek unpleasantly of oil and grease."

"You can take a bath, and I always smell of oil and grease." He tugged again, firm without being forceful.

Loki's cool demeanor cracked slightly as he flashed his teeth in a snarl. "No. Unhand me."

Tony released the tie just to surge to his own knees and sink his hand into Loki's black hair. Loki did not react well. He immediately tried to jerk back, hands rising to Tony’s shoulders, a feral snarl curling his lips as the professional facade faded away.

"Loki," Tony said, tone a warning as his grip tightened on the inky hair, "please don't make me do this weird alpha wolf bullshit. It creeps both of us out."

"Then don't," Loki hissed, teeth flashing. His eyes were still green, however, so Tony figured things weren’t about to get too violent.

"I can't let this go. You are skulking around like you're afraid and you shouldn't have a reason to be. You can't be in the same room with Barton, you refuse to be with Banner. He even submitted to you, so why are you acting like you're afraid of him?"

"I don't want him," Loki snapped.

Tony blinked. "Who? Bruce or Clint?"

“Any of you. You make me hide, pretending to be human, caged by your pathetic, ragtag team--”

“I’m going to stop you right there,” Tony said. He released Loki’s hair and sat back with a sigh. “Yeah, you don’t like us. I get it. What would you rather do, Loki? Are you seeing another option?”

“I don’t need you.”

“You need someone,” the alpha wolf snapped. “I get it, okay? This stupid pack thing means letting people in, farther than you want them to go. None of us like it. You and I?” He gestured between them. “We don’t have a choice. Without a pack, our sanity is more fragile. The others do have a choice, and they chose to do this with us.”

“With you,” Loki bite out coldly.

“Bullshit. Bruce made the choice. You won against the Hulk. He didn’t have to acknowledge that, but he did.”

“Agent Barton has not.”

Tony blinked. He almost made a crack about Loki pouting over Clint, but wisely swallowed it down. The other werewolf was currently unhinged, a wild, mad gleam in his eyes, and while restraint was not in Tony’s nature, the wolf knew better than to taunt his submissive. “Barton hasn’t submitted to you,” he said, trying to understand the problem. Loki faced down the Hulk, challenged him and won, and all to protect Clint. “You protected him and he hasn’t acknowledged that.”

“I saved his life. He is mine by right.”

“So, why avoid him. Why not challenge him?” Except Loki has. Loki was acting hostile toward Clint, but still leaving the room, questioning Clint’s dominance without ignoring it or initiating the fight. “Okay,” Tony said, rubbing his face. He was going to get a headache. “He’s human. He doesn’t understand the hostility. A challenge, he gets.”

“If I initiate a fight, start a battle against him, and he loses,” which Clint would and they both knew that, “then I will be accused of pushing him past his comfort, of controlling him, and he will be resentful and fight against me.”

And there was that headache. This would have been so much easier if everyone was a werewolf. It could have been Thor with him in that room. That would have made things easier, but also really harder. Thor would probably have been alpha, and Tony didn’t want to live on Asgard.

“What about Banner and Happy? You’re avoiding them.”

“I can hardly avoid Mr. Hogan,” Loki answered stiffly.

“And Bruce? Loki, this is ridiculous. You can’t avoid everyone forever. No one understands why you’re acting this way, even me and I’m a werewolf too. They don’t get it.”

“If you would let me go, none of this would be a problem!” Loki seethed in frustration.

Tony stared at him, surprised at the outburst. He narrowed his eyes, considering the other wolf in front of him. Loki didn’t want to be in the pack, he knew, but it was the first hint he’d seen that the Asgardian felt helpless against Tony’s will. It wasn’t Tony that was stopping him, however. He left the building all the time, running around as Tony’s personal assistant. He could also teleport. The only thing keeping him there was that, deep down, he wanted somewhere to belong, and he was tired of fighting the wolf, who desperately craved a pack.

“Clint and Natasha are only human,” he said softly. “But Steve, Bruce, and Thor? They are all more than that, and now so am I. You and I are going to be together for a long time, Loki, until death do us part, and I don’t foresee anything changing that.”

“I am not yours to keep,” Loki snarled, hands clenching into fists.

“Actually, you are,” Tony replied. “You said so yourself.” At Loki’s surprised and doubtful look, he explained. “You said that Clint is yours by right. Doesn’t that make you mine?”

Loki stared at him for a long moment, shock and rage warring behind is bi-colored eyes. Then he launched himself at Tony with a feral snarl. Tony was prepared, however, having watched for the shifting of his weight, knowing Loki wouldn’t react well. He was still bowled over, unable to match Loki’s speed, but he immediately rolled them, pushing himself close to Loki’s body and between his legs. He snatched the hands clawing at him by the wrists, pushing them down. By that point, Loki had figured out what he was being maneuvered for and bucked to dislodge him, but Tony just leaned down and set teeth into his throat and waited.

Loki panted for a moment, stilling under Tony’s hands. Finally, he made a sound of frustration somewhere between a whine and a sob. Tony could feel the shudder wrack through his body as Loki gave up the fight, further baring his throat, and Tony lifted his head. To his horror, Loki looked like he was fighting not to cry, to howl, to lose his mind. Tony immediately leaned in, burying his nose back behind Loki’s jaw, just under his ear, and nuzzled him there.

“Stop,” Loki gasped out, but his voice sounded hesitant, like he wasn’t sure if that was truly what he wanted.

“I’m not going to sully your virtue,” Tony murmured against the pale neck. Perhaps it was the wolf in him, but Loki smelled so much better than anyone else, excluding Pepper of course. “I don’t know about you, but this makes my wolf stupidly happy. Can we just close our eyes and pretend this isn’t weird as all hell?”

The suggestion seemed to bleed a miniscule amount of tension from the taller werewolf. “Pretend?”

“You know, shut the human-esque parts of the mind off and cuddle like puppies.” He grimaced. “And never speak of it again.”

“Puppies?”

Tony sighed and lifted his head to look at Loki. “Look, I’ll talk to Clint and we’ll figure this out. For right now, though, fucking relax. You’re driving everyone up the walls.” With that, he released Loki and wormed his way under the Asgardian until he was spooning Loki from behind.

Loki was tense in Tony’s arms, unsure how to react. The wolf in him wanted to close his eyes and relax into his alpha’s arms. Tony’s scent was reassuring, his warmth safe and protective. Loki hated the wolf, loathed that it wanted to be safe and so close to an Avenger of all people. The new job, despite how disgustingly human it was, intrigued him. In many ways, it was similar to being a prince. He kept his fingers on the pulse of the company, manipulating the little things to keep it all running smoothly and bringing the big things to the attention of Tony or Pepper. He was one of Tony’s greatest lines of defense against the public and he loved that almost every aspect of Tony’s life was being offered up to his control. He could destroy Tony Stark if he wanted to; he had the power to ruin him in the public’s perception, something Hammer had craved to do. He told himself that the reason he didn’t was because it wasn’t currently in his best interest, since that would once again leave him homeless. What confused and frustrated him was that Tony gave him that power to begin with. This could only mean one of two things: that Tony trusted him, which was absurd, or that Tony trusted that he could keep Loki in line. That was galling.

Loki twisted, pulling away with enough strength that Tony could not hold him. He sat up, turning to look at Tony, who had also risen, scowling. “I am not one of your artificial intelligence machines, Tony Stark. You cannot give me orders and control me. You have given me much power over your life and well-being. You may not be glad you did that.”

“Why?” Tony challenged. “Are you going to destroy me? Destroy my company? Ruin my life and drag me through the mud? There are a couple of problems with that, Loki. First of all, I’m a genius, and people consider that useful. As you may have noticed, there are a lot of things people are willing to forgive when they have use for you.”

“And what use do you have of me, Stark?” Loki replied bitingly.

“What do you want me to say, Loki?” Tony asked, his frustration brimming. “Do you think I like this? Do you think I really, in my brain that is Tony Stark, want to be responsible for you? I look at you, and I see the villain who initiated an invasion that killed thousands of people. I see the sorcerer that stole Barton’s free will and made him turn on his own people, the trickster who cruelly taunted Natasha with her deepest fears. I also see someone in the same situation I’m in who is alone and scared and doing his best to protect himself, and I see you falling even deeper into a black insanity that there is no escape from, and I can’t handle it!” Loki made a small flinch as Tony shouted. “I can’t sit by and watch it happen! I can’t! I physically can’t! I can try, but it makes my gut clench and my palms sweat and my heart race and the longer I let you suffer without stepping in the longer I think I’m going to throw up because I can’t stand seeing you lose your mind because you’re afraid and alone, and I hate it.” His voice lowered into a growl, dark eyes boring hard into Loki’s. “I loathe that you, fucking you, make me feel this way. I don’t even feel this way about people I love, let alone like and I sure as hell don’t want to feel this way about you. So what do you want me to do, Loki? Do you want me to back off? To let us both lose our minds? Not going to happen. I learned really early that I can actually live my life if I just give in this area. Fight if you have to, because I get it: it’s fucking terrifying to have someone be helplessly in control of you. Why the hell do you think I gave you power over my life? To balance this out, that’s why. To keep you from going too far into the other direction. This is the best I can do, so what the fuck else do you want from me?”

Loki stared at him in shock. He had unconsciously hunched his shoulders to make himself appear smaller, but he mostly seemed stunned at Tony’s outburst. He swallowed, and when Tony remained quiet, just staring at him, he licked his lips nervously. “I need to think about this.”

Tony grit his teeth and turned away. “Yeah. Do that.” He picked up a wrench, staring hard at the engine in front of him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The last two chapters need some revision, so I can't guarantee that they will be up as promptly as I've posted so far. It shouldn't be a terrible lag, though.


	24. Part Twenty-four

Loki skipped out of work for the rest of the day. He disappeared back into the tunnels beneath the city, numb and shivering as he considered Tony's heated words. It wasn't that Tony moved his heart with his confession. Giving Loki so much power over his life for recompense for the control Tony had over his made a great deal of sense. He hadn't expected Tony to feel guilty for what level of control he now had.

No, Tony's impassioned monologue wasn't what gave him pause. It was the fact that Tony knew him as a monster, saw him full in the face for what he was, and still extended the hand to catch him. That was something even Odin hadn't done for him, hovering over the endless void of the broken Bifrost. He couldn't blame all of this new hesitation on the creature that shared his skin. It definitely wanted the safety of a pack, but a small part of Loki's own mind wondered what would have happened if that hand had been offered to him. Would he have taken it before? Most definitely, and their lives would all be so infinitely different. In a way, he felt like he was being offered a second chance. Tony had never lied to him. In fact, the Avenger had been refreshingly honest in his dealings with him. Tony never pretended to be anything except what he was, at least not to Loki.

Loki was not reformed. He chafed under the silken binds that made him want to please Tony, or at least not irritate him. Loki would never be a hero, could never truly ignore or hide the chaotic yearnings in his soul, and he was tired of trying. But Tony hadn't seemed perturbed by this. He actually seemed more than willing to give Loki a target, and it wasn't always in the name of whatever virtues heroes held dear. Tony was just as entertained as he by watching someone who dearly needed a comeuppance suffer for their crimes. There was an edge between dark humor and cruelty that Tony did not cross, but as long as Loki stayed on the correct side of the line, Tony seemed willing to let him do as he pleased.

He would never be able to subjugate Midgard under Tony's rule, but Tony owned much of the realm anyways, and his money exerted a greater power than Loki's army had. That he was willing to put much of that power into Loki's hands, even if he and Pepper watched his every move with a steely gaze that rivaled even Heimdall, was gratifying. That Tony was capable of manipulating Director Fury and SHIELD into allowing it was even more attractive to Loki. He did so love the way Fury looked as if he'd swallowed a lemon when faced with Loki's freedom.

~~~

When the elevator doors slid open at his arrival back at the tower, the first thing Loki saw was Thor's fist landing a blow on Tony's face. The slighter man was knocked back a couple of feet, landing in a dazed heap on the floor.

Loki didn't think. He launched himself across the room fast enough that Thor didn't realize he was there until he landed his first blow. Loki was nowhere near as strong as Thor, but speed and leverage gave him the power to knock Thor back as well, putting distance between Thor and Tony. He crouched protectively between the two, red eyes glaring threateningly as his once-brother.

Thor's expression flickered through a myriad of emotions, but all Loki could think about was how Thor wasn’t a part of the pack, and how he had attacked Tony. It took a moment for him to realize several voices were saying his name. He turned his head to see the rest of the Avengers standing about with varying levels of concern on their faces. Fingertips touched his wrist and Loki jerked his hand, turning to face the new threat, but Tony didn't back away from Loki's snarl.

"Hey," Tony said. "I'm fine. Well, not fine, but I'm okay. Thor and I were sparring. I was frustrated, and he was letting me take it out on him."

Loki stared at him for a second, and then glanced over at Bruce. The doctor looked like he wanted to double check Tony and nodded when Loki's look turned questioning. "They were sparring," he confirmed. "Although last I checked, sparring wasn't supposed to risk concussions."

Loki let out a sigh, feeling ridiculous as the tension leaked out of him. "I should have known," he muttered. "In Asgard, it's not a true sparring session unless someone has fractured something. I had not thought you to be so reckless, Stark."

"Yeah, well, Steve was busy." He moved to his knees and winced. "Yeah, that's gonna hurt for a moment."

Bruce moved forward to examine Tony's face, despite his whining that he was fine. Loki looked back at Thor and was a little surprised to see the almost defeated expression on the other man's face. Loki frowned at him, hatred and resentment still simmering in his chest, but it gnawed at a small part of him to not know what he'd done to put that look on Thor's face.

"What is it, Thor?" Loki purred darkly. "Wounded that I accused you of attacking your comrade?"

"Stop being a dick, Loki," Tony muttered absently as Bruce continued touching his jaw. He looked oddly peaceful under the careful ministrations.

Thor, however, did not respond to the barb. He merely rose and left the room, stunning Loki. He watched his brother and enemy leave, a frown curling his lips.

"Maybe he's tired of seeing you on the opposing side," Clint said, surprising everyone by speaking up.

Loki gave him a considering glance, venom darkening his eyes. "It was he who first chose to stand against me."

"That's not the way I heard it." Clint shrugged. "Then again, both sides of the story are probably skewed. I'm pretty sure yours is."

Loki's eyes narrowed at Clint. "And what do you know of my story thus far, Agent Barton?"

"That you're a manipulative little shit who can't just come out and say something."

Loki was suddenly on his feet, lips pulled back off of his sharp, little fangs in a vicious snarl. "And you don't watch your tongue enough."

"Do it," Clint challenged him, beckoning Loki. "I'm looking forward to beating the shit out of you."

No one was really sure why Clint chose that moment to challenge Loki like that, but it was sure as fuck on. Everyone could tell immediately that neither man was holding anything back, both going for blood. Clint was good, perhaps even one of the best, but the simple truth was that he was truly no match for Loki. The Asgardian werewolf was too experienced, too strong, and just too fast. Clint managed to cut his own knuckles on Loki's teeth, but it was only moments after the violent fight began that Loki threw Clint down to the mats hard enough to knock the breath out of him. Loki pinned Clint down, knees on his wrists, not exerting enough pressure to hurt him, but threatening damage all the same. To everyone's surprise, Loki's fingers curled delicately around Clint's throat, nails scraping ever so lightly. Out of the corner of his eyes, Tony saw Natasha silently draw a knife.

Loki cocked his head, looking down at his gasping prisoner. Clint struggled to catch his breath, eyes focused on the werewolf above him. "Well?" he finally rasped. "Aren't you going to go for my throat?"

Loki studied his face quietly for a moment. "You would never offer it to me if I forced you to," he said after a long silence. "You'd let me rip it out first. But your hands..." He shifted his weight, changing the pressure on Clint's wrists. The archer's eyes widened and he tested the hold, nearly cursing. "Those you value, Agent Barton. You are far more likely to willingly submit if the fate is worse than death."

Clint bared his own teeth in frustration. "That's fucking cheating. Stark!"

"He's kind of got a point, Barton," Tony said, rubbing the back of his neck. "You'd fight him on the neck thing."

"And if I say no, he breaks my wrists?" Clint spat. "Not the way to make fucking friends."

"I have already offered you your life by saving it from Dr. Banner's beast," Loki snapped. "Would you have me take it away from you again?" Frustration burned in his darkening eyes.

Tony understood what was going on. Loki had already won against Clint, twice now. He was trying very hard to convince the stubborn human to submit when all instincts told him to punish Clint for refusing. If Loki killed Clint for refusing, they would kill him. He was stuck and there was nothing he could do about it.

Tony moved forward, resting a hand on Loki's shoulder. The other werewolf glanced at him, teeth bared in a silent snarl, but did not pull away. Tony looked down at Clint. "Look, Legolas, this is the second time he's dominated you officially. The first time wasn't your choice, but you started this fight. If you're not willing to submit, then you need to not fucking taunt him like this or he's going to hurt you."

"He changed the rules," Clint protested.

"No, Barton, he didn't. You refused to submit even after he saved your life. You challenged him again. He's trying very hard not to kill you and you're making that very difficult."

Loki shrugged Tony off and rose, hands clenching. He stared down at Clint, his gaze feral and intense, but his eyes remained green. He turned and walked out, back stiff and straight.

"Okay," Steve said, breaking the silence. "I really don't understand. Why isn't Loki hurting Clint when he has a chance and a reason?"

"I'm not entirely sure," Tony replied with a frown. "Loki won the challenge. He's above Barton, even if he won't admit it. I'm not sure why he won't force the issue. It's not like he cares if we like him."

"Thanks, guys," Clint muttered, slowly sitting up.

"Maybe he's trying to help Barton feel safe?" Bruce suggested hesitantly. When everyone looked at him he shrugged. "Loki might not like it but it probably bothers his wolf a lot that you don't trust him. After all, isn't it the job of the higher pack members to make the lower feel safe?"

"Not going to happen," Clint said, rubbing his neck. "How does my neck look?"

"There's not a scratch on you," Natasha answered, voice bland. That made Clint still, looking up at her. He met her eyes for a long moment, and then scowled.

"Sir," Jarvis said suddenly, "Mssrs. Laufeyson and Odinson are battling in the penthouse."

~~~

Loki stared at the walls of the elevator as Jarvis took him up to the penthouse. He wanted to destroy something, the frustration seething uncomfortably under his skin. Damn the wolf! He loathed how much it made him care about these humans, to need them to react as he wished them to. Intellectually, he knew he was going about gaining Clint’s trust the wrong way, but it drove the wolf into fits of frustration that the human wouldn’t act like he was supposed to. He didn’t want to care that Clint refused him, but it was driving the wolf wild. He really wished he could kill Clint and put an end to it. He briefly mused over the pros and cons, but it was useless. He didn’t know if he could be executed for murdering the archer, but there were fates worse than death.

The elevator opened and Loki immediately smelled Thor. Without even thinking, his lips pulled off his teeth in a snarl. He schooled his expression quickly and stepped out into the room, looking around. Thor was out on the balcony, staring off at the city, morose. Loki quickly turned away and headed for his room.

“Loki,” Thor called quietly. He knew Loki would hear him. He could have whispered and Loki would have heard him.

Loki wanted to keep going, to ignore him, but a part of him was not pleased at the idea of leaving Thor alone on this level of the tower. The only people who lived in the penthouse were Tony, Pepper, and Loki. It was their home, much as the other Avengers had their own floors. Loki didn’t much care to share with Tony and Pepper, but they seemed to not mind him being there and he knew Tony was the only thing keeping the others from treating him like a prisoner. He might not have liked Tony’s protection, but he’d be a fool not to use it to his advantage.

Loki turned to look back at Thor. “Yes?” he inquired, keeping an aloof distance. When Thor said nothing, just watching him, Loki sighed to himself and stepped out onto the balcony with him. “Why are you on this level?” he asked, tone less than amicable.

“It is the only one with a balcony,” Thor replied, watching Loki. He knew his brother well enough to note the tension in his body, a dissatisfied edginess. “What has happened?”

“Nothing which concerns you.”

“You want to battle.” There was no question in Thor’s voice. Loki stiffened, looking to him, but he pressed on. “It is not often that I see such restlessness in you, Brother, but I know what it is when I see it.”

“If I was ever your brother, I hardly am now,” Loki replied coldly.

“These circumstances do not change who you are to me, Loki, anymore than they change Tony Stark. You are my brother, and I will help you in any way that I can, including continuing to take the abuse you feel the need to bestow.”

“Do you challenge me?” Loki was fighting not to snarl, fingers twitching to rend and claw Thor.

“No,” Thor said, shaking his head almost sadly. He reached for Loki, to grasp his neck in the brotherly fashion he so often did, but Loki ducked back, baring the fangs that had become permanent. Loki’s stance immediately became defensive, and Thor purposefully left Mjolnir on the balcony as he stepped forward to engage his brother in a tussle he knew Loki needed.

~~~

The elevator doors opened and Tony rushed into the penthouse in time to see Loki come crashing through the window from the balcony. He rolled elegantly to his feet, not even winded by the impact.

“Enough!” Tony snapped, voice carrying to the two combatants. Neither brother took their eyes off the other, but Loki stilled even as his body vibrated with the tension to leap forward. Thor stayed where he was as well, an excited grin curling the edges of his lips. Tony stared between the two of them for a long moment, noting the lack of anger in the air, and sighed, figuring they were also sparring. “What the hell do you have against my windows?” he complained

Loki’s tension dissolved as he turned to finally look at Tony. He glanced at the glass lying around. “It is not I who broke them this time.”

“It’s still coming out of your paycheck.” Loki rolled his eyes. “So, someone want to tell me why you thought you needed to attack my poor windows again?” Tony looked between the two of them.

“It is as earlier, Stark,” Thor said, stepping inside through the shattered glass. “It seems that combat is seen as an acceptable means of releasing frustrations for the beasts.”

“Beating the crap out of things does seem to have that effect.” It concerned Tony that Loki was that frustrated with Clint, but at least he didn’t take it out on the human. Although, it was interesting that they both refused to fight the objects of their ire and went for Thor instead.

“You are wondering why we both fought Thor?” Loki asked him, straightening.

“Don’t read my mind, damn it.”

“Maybe because he’s not pack,” Bruce said. They had all arrived to see what they could do to stop Loki from killing Thor. When Tony looked back at him, Bruce shrugged. “You don’t have to worry about hurting him.”

“Maybe,” Tony said. He looked at Loki. “So, yeah, that frustration you’re feeling with Barton? I’m kind of feeling that way toward you.”

“I have submitted to you,” Loki said, expression and tone impassive as he brushed himself off. “There is little more I can give you.”

“There’s more?” Clint asked. Even Tony was vaguely curious about that, but Loki just looked wary and did not reply. He hadn’t forgotten the impulse he’d had at the thought of Tony’s submission those months ago, and he was certainly not introducing the idea to his alpha. The idea of him submitting in such a way was beyond appalling.

Tony let it slide for the moment, not wanting to get derailed. “So, now that you’re calmer--”

“I will not apologize to Agent Barton for exerting a tactical advantage,” Loki said casually, straightening his cuffs. He looked up at Tony. “I hardly expect him to seek forgiveness for blowing me out of the air. It is grating not to have his submission, but I will settle for obedience, when it matters.”

Tony could feel Clint bristle and he glanced at him. He could tell Clint wanted to say something scathing, and he probably would have had Loki not added that little stipulation at the end. Loki was not asking for complete obedience, and that kind of surprised them all. “When does it matter?” Clint asked, tone hard.

“When the pack is in danger.”

The edge of Clint anger softened slightly in confusion. “You intend to fight with us?”

Loki scoffed. “Absolutely not. The safety of this planet and the mortals upon it are not my concern. This pack,” he said the word between gritted teeth, like he hated to admit it, “is. If I must step in, I will.”

“So, you won’t fight. You’ll just rescue us if we get caught.”

Loki looked at Clint like the man was being particularly dense. “Perhaps. Since you’re so confident that you’re above me, perhaps I will let you find your own way out.”

“Okay, kids, enough of that,” Tony interrupted. “I don’t want to repair any more of my penthouse than necessary.”

“He’s the one who keeps breaking the windows,” Clint protested.

Loki sneered at him. “Your maturity is astounding.”

“And who was it exactly that threw a temper-tantrum that nearly leveled Manhattan?”

Before Loki could respond, Tony just sighed. “Natasha, you mind breaking up the fight?”

The pack enforcer looked at Tony, expressionless. “No permanent damage, I assume?” she said.

Loki and Clint glanced at each other, and then both came to the same decision. It seemed far wiser to make a silent retreat than to stick around and face Natasha’s wrath.


	25. Part Twenty-five

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much to everyone who enjoyed and commented on this story. Special recognition goes to my Avengers!bro Area, who read this and gave suggestions, helping me get out of blocks.
> 
> There is a sequel to this story called The Law of the Jungle (at least, that's the working title.) I just started it and I like to have a story mostly completed before I start posting, so I can't promise yet when I'll start posting.
> 
> Enjoy!

They settled into the new dynamic pretty well. Thor remained outside of the pack. As much as he wanted to support his brother, he had to leave the realm too often for Tony to be comfortable. It was also pretty helpful to have a non-pack member around. Tony and Loki were very aware of the fragility of the humans around them, nor would they attack each other, so when they became frustrated enough with someone in particular to compromise their control, they could take it out on Thor guilt-free. It wasn’t Tony or Loki’s favorite thing, but Thor enjoyed it a great deal.

Steve remained second in command with Natasha hot on his heels as the pack enforcer and Pepper as Tony’s mate and the pack’s alpha female. Behind Natasha, Loki and Clint maneuvered carefully around one another. Neither was willing to give ground to the other, but it didn’t seem to cause any actual discomfort in the pack structure. The two loved to hate each other, and that they were level in the pack gave them reason to antagonize one another at many opportunities. Loki was, of course, a master at it, but Clint held his own against the God of Mischief, refusing to back down. Underneath them came a very amused Bruce, with Happy as the pack omega.

For the most part, Loki had little to do with the Avengers. He slowly stopped hiding from Happy and Bruce, although he left the chauffer for Tony and Pepper’s use. He wasn’t particularly cuddly with the others, although he did occasionally brush against Bruce as he moved past. Sometimes he spent time watching Bruce work in his lab, silently handing over equipment if asked. It was the closest thing to interpersonal that he willingly managed.

His constant battling with Clint caused tension, but it often ended up being more amusing than worrying, so Tony and the others ignored it. They didn’t even try to kill each other, too determined to make the other give in. Pranks tended to be the order of the day, from as mild as a bucket of cold water over Loki’s door one morning, to as potentially dangerous as glue on the grip of Clint’s bow. Steve had firmly told Loki to keep pranks away from anything revolving around armor and weapons. Clint left a prank in Loki’s room once, and it nearly caused another dominance battle. It was Tony’s turn to lay down the law, leaving the bedrooms off limits. Apparently, Tony and Loki were very sensitive about who entered their ‘dens’.

Loki ignored Steve, Natasha, and Thor for the most part, giving them a polite amount of space. He remained at a professional distance with Pepper and attempted to do the same with Tony. Tony didn’t let him get away with that. If Loki was in a room Tony entered, no matter who else was there, he was the touchstone Tony moved to. Loki tried to resist it, but when he wasn’t paying attention, he often gravitated to Tony himself. 

Tony was known to shift when he lost absolute control of his temper. It didn’t happen often, but when it did, all humans disappeared, leaving Thor to maneuver him into a safe room Tony had created. However, Loki’s control over his form was absolute. He did not shift unless he wanted to, but he was also more likely to do so than Tony. The first time they saw Loki in wolf form voluntarily was the first and only time they’d ever heard such a shrill scream come out of Clint’s mouth.

Three days before, Clint had relentlessly hunted Loki through the Avengers’ part of the tower shooting him with Nerf arrows. He’d done something to mask himself from Loki’s senses, which is the only reason why Loki hadn’t threatened to end the archer’s pitiful existence. He had been determined to discover how Clint was hiding, but eventually had been driven to his room when his lupine instincts could no longer stand the anxiety of being hunted. Clint had been rather smug about getting the upper hand.

The day of Loki’s revenge, Tony had just come downstairs to the common floor to see everyone. Clint and Natasha were playing pool while Thor and Steve watched and talked. Tony checked out the game, and then made his way into the kitchen to get a cup of coffee. An ear-splitting shriek made him drop the half-filled mug. Heedless of the mess he’d made, Tony raced back into the main room to find Clint up onto the pool table with an expression quickly fading from startlement to fury and the others looking unsure what to do. Near where Clint had been standing was Loki in his wolf form, nosing his own fur with a smug set to his shoulders.

Tony blinked at the other wolf, staring at him for a long moment before looking up at Clint. “What happened?” he asked, distracted. The wolf inside of him was at attention, eagerly interested in the other werewolf.

“That... that... asshole put his fucking cold nose into my back!” Clint snarled, livid.

Tony glanced at him. “Really? You shrieked in decibels only dogs can hear because of a cold nose?”

“I didn’t know he was there!”

The elevator doors opened to reveal Bruce, looking concerned. “Is everyone okay?” he asked, taking in the scene.

“You heard Clint from upstairs?” Steve asked, raising his eyebrows.

“Australia heard him,” Tony muttered.

“I was in the elevator,” Bruce replied, watching Clint climb off the table and glare at Loki like he wanted to beat the shit out of him. He didn’t dare touch the man in his wolf form, however, and Loki knew it.

“Loki put his nose against the small of Clint’s back when Clint bent over to take a shot,” Natasha said.

“Loki,” Steve said, frowning in disapproval. “You can’t touch any of us in your wolf form. You could have infected Clint.”

“That’s really unlikely, actually,” Bruce said to everyone’s surprise. Who would have thought he would defend such a thing? “Loki would have to maul him within an inch of his life in order to infect him.”

“There’s still a chance,” Clint argued.

“What do you think might have happened when you hunted him a few days ago?” Bruce asked. “If he’d lost control when you startled him, he might have killed you any number of ways.”

“Tony Stark?” Thor said finally, looking concerned. Everyone glanced at Tony to see the man still watching Loki and looking torn. The latter was still in his wolf form, grooming himself until Thor’s words drew his attention to Tony. Loki cocked his head quizzically. Tony didn’t reply, just staring at him intently.

“Tony?” Bruce said, hesitant. “Are you okay?”

Tony seemed to hesitate, then he let out a hard breath. “Fuck it,” he said, then kicked off his shoes, pulling his shirt over his head. He wasn’t even fully undressed before he was shifting into his own wolf form. It surprised everyone; it was the first time they’d seen him willingly change shape. He approached Loki, light on his feet and Loki blinked, bemused by his playful attitude. He tried to watch Tony, but the chocolate wolf danced around him then nipped at the end of his tail. Loki jerked away, tail tucking slightly as he tried to figure out what the hell Tony was doing. Tony, seeing his confusion, moved forward, making a soft, encouraging sound as he nosed Loki. The larger wolf batted at him hesitantly, a bit baffled by Tony’s desire to play, and Tony brightened, bouncing about. He then gleefully bowled Loki over and raced out of the room.

Loki squirmed, rolling back onto his stomach and staring off after Tony. He blinked, but then scrambled to his feet and took off after the other werewolf, leaving the rest of the Avengers staring after them.

“Did Stark just shift so that he could play with Loki?” Steve asked, stunned.

“That’s certainly what it looked like,” Bruce replied.

“I have the sudden need to schedule a psyche evaluation.” Clint rubbed his face. “Either that or start drinking. Anyone else want a drink? I need to erase the past fifteen minutes from my brain.”

Tony and Loki never did more than just touch unless they happened to be in wolf form. No matter which one shifted first, the other inevitably couldn’t resist changing as well and they would play, racing around the tower to hunt each other or whoever else happened to be convenient. Loki tried to be a prim and proper wolf, but Tony was like a large puppy and could eventually goad Loki into play. Afterwards, they would often be found tucked into a shadowy corner somewhere, curled up together and usually napping, sometimes grooming each other They never breathed a word about it, and the other Avengers weren’t really sure if it was cute or creepy, particularly the grooming.

~~~

True to his word, Loki never became involved when they were called to assemble. He also never rescued them, despite whatever danger they faced. None of them had ever been abducted, but there had been a time or two when their lives had been perilously on the line, and the sorcerer never showed up. Clint snarked once about how much trouble they needed to be in before he’d rescue them, but Loki calmly suggested he bare his throat if he wanted to be sheltered. That hadn’t gone over so well.

Loki wasn’t able to stop himself from making the rounds after each battle, however. He’d seek them out, starting with Bruce and working his way up in order to Tony. All he needed was a glance and a sniff and then he was gone, but he couldn’t resist it. They’d also learned to make sure he was capable of doing so.

Tony had been on his way to a board meeting, one of the few Loki had convinced him to go to, when they’d received the call to assemble. He’d been a bit smug about that. Loki sighed, but headed off to the meeting instead, a part of him wanting to volunteer to take Iron Man’s place rather than Tony Stark’s. He wasn’t thrilled to be in a meeting with the useless board, but it was an unpleasantness he could handle. He quietly slipped in, going to take Tony’s seat. “My apologies,” he said to Pepper, who had been speaking. “Mr. Stark has become indisposed. Avenger business.”

Loki listened to the discussion, politely attentive with his phone set to vibrate and held lightly in his hand. It was an hour into the meeting, even though they were only perhaps halfway through arguing with each other, that his phone buzzed a few times in succession. Loki glanced down to find three text messages from Tony.

“We’re back.”

“No major injuries.”

“H sprained his ankle.”

Tension suddenly thrummed through him. A sprained ankle was hardly anything to worry about, and he couldn’t care less if Clint was the one injured. Still, how injured was ‘no major injuries’? What did they consider to be minor? Where were they? He had the intense desire to see them with his own eyes, smell them and make sure all was well. Normally, he could have given in to the desire with no concern, but he was busy, and he hardly needed to run out of a meeting to check on them.

“Are we boring you, Mr. Walker?” a male voice asked, barely hiding his derision.

Loki’s eyes flicked up to the man who had spoken, irritation at being mocked warring with his need to check on his pack. The cocky mortal met his eyes, smirking slightly, but the smile fell quickly and the man paled. A deep sense of satisfaction filled Loki, making him want to crawl over the table and terrify the man. He smelled like prey...

“Mr. Walker,” Pepper said, her tone politely inquisitive. Loki’s attention was drawn to her, smelling her hidden concern.

“Forgive me,” he said, tucking the phone away. “Mr. Stark has returned from his duties and is making requests.” They all knew how eccentric Tony could be, so it was as good of an excuse as any. He could have used the opportunity to leave but he refused to do so, not wanting the beast inside him to make him go running to the Avengers like a desperate puppy.

Pepper took the choice away from him. “Mr. Stark can be very persistent if he doesn’t get what he wants,” she said with a small smile. “I think we all need a small break anyways. I’ll let you know if there is any development.”

Loki blinked at her once, knowing a dismissal when he heard one. His eyes hardened slightly, unhappy, but he nodded. “Of course, Ms. Potts.” He rose and headed out of the room as the rest of the board started to quietly move. The overall scent in the room was fearful. Apparently, Loki let more of the wolf slip than he thought, or perhaps it was the fact that he was a god centuries older than they. For whatever reason, he’d terrified them all with that single glance. Once Loki had taken the elevator to the upper floors, he immediately sought out Bruce, beginning his rounds and mercilessly heckling Clint.

Despite unconsciously terrorizing the board, Loki did surprisingly well at his job. He was able to keep Tony organized, usually five steps ahead of the genius, but Tony was brilliant and threw something unexpected at Loki just often enough to keep things lively. The two were very similar, so when Loki got bored, he shook things up, rattling whoever was a convenient target, and Tony was usually okay with it. Loki also understood the responsibility of the position and, luckily, never took it lightly. He acted with a certain noblesse oblige when it came to the company and his job as Tony’s assistant, which often stunned everyone who knew who he truly was. Thor merely reminded them that, before his fall from the Bifrost, no one had ever questioned Loki’s duty and rights as the second prince of Asgard, so he obviously took the responsibilities of the position seriously.

~~~

Despite the lengths to which they adapted, Loki and Tony were not well. The instincts born of the lycanthropy were not tendencies native to either of them, and it broke something fundamental to have them. Tony couldn’t lock himself up in his lab and work for hours on end; the wolf grew lonely and restlessly wished to see the others. More than once, Tony had howled in rage and frustration, destroying things when the wolf’s needs simply would not allow him to concentrate on work. Likewise, Loki would often become increasingly frustrated with his situation, feeling helpless in the face of his endless fate of being tied to the Avengers. He didn’t want to care what they thought, or cater to their needs. No one had forgotten how he’d turned the Doombots into sand effortlessly and so, when the rage at his situation teetered on the edge of exploding, the others conveniently found other places to be.

It was in those tense situations that the connective nature of the werewolves was driven home. Not even Pepper could soothe Tony when he lost control, nor did anyone dare try to speak to Loki. The first time Tony freaked out, Steve had tried to calm him down. He’d barely stepped into the room when Tony had turned on him, eyes golden and fangs bared in a snarl. It was immediately obvious that he couldn’t listen to reason and Steve backed out quickly. Instead, they tried calling Pepper, thinking maybe her presence would calm him.

Pepper stepped out of the elevator with Loki in tow, the man a silent shadow behind her. The entire team was on the floor, although they clustered at the elevator to keep space between them and Tony’s lab. The rest of the floor was cleared out when Tony started raging.

“What happened?” Pepper asked with concern.

“I have no idea,” Steve said, worried and exasperated. He ran a hand through his hair again. “Jarvis told us that Tony was having a fit, so I tried to calm him down. He didn’t react well to having any of us in the room, so we thought you might be okay.”

Pepper frowned and walked over to the lab. The doors were glass and she could see through them how Tony was destroying things with a terrifying intensity, snarling to himself. She knocked softly on the glass, making Tony stiffen.

“Tony?” she said softly. She started to reach for the door but froze when Tony turned his head to look at her. There was nothing friendly in his golden eyes as he growled, low and threatening. Pepper froze in sudden terror.

To everyone’s surprise, Loki stepped around her, opening the door and going inside as if he was merely delivering paperwork to his boss. “Jarvis, lock the door, please,” he said calmly. “Only allow entry on my or Stark’s approval, for everyone’s safety.”

“Yes, Mr. Laufeyson.”

Tony’s gaze hadn’t turned any friendlier. Loki, instead of running, just stood there. “Can I help you, Mr. Stark?” he asked coolly.

“Fuck off, Loki,” Tony snarled.

“That’s hardly an appropriate command to a subordinate.”

Tony cleared a table with a quick leap and started stalking toward him. Loki’s hands trembled for a moment, but he forced them still. He didn’t look directly into Tony’s eyes, keeping his gaze on his alpha’s collarbone. The last thing they needed just then was another fight.

Tony stalked directly up to him and snarled, “I told you to get out.”

“I know,” Loki replied softly.

“Then why are you still here?”

“Because you’re destroying your lab--”

“I’ll build a new one! It’s not like I can get any fucking work done with this... this... thing!” He gestured to himself vaguely, not lessening his glare. “Why the fuck do you even care?”

“You might hurt someone, and you would feel guilty for doing so later,” Loki answered honestly. His voice was soft, but it didn’t waver. Other than his eyes being down, he looked the picture of ease, but Tony could smell differently.

Vaguely, it started to bother him that Loki smelled so afraid. The other wolf was submissive, so he shouldn’t be lashing out at him, but Loki was presenting himself as a target and Tony was not in the mood to cater to the beast inside of him. He took a step forward, crowding Loki, and Loki took a half step back. “You don’t give a damn about us, so don’t pretend like you do.”

“This is what you brought me here to do, is it not? To assist you?” Loki asked, voice calm and unmoved. Despite his anxiety of having the full force of his alpha’s wrath focused on him, he felt oddly peaceful about putting himself in the line of fire. He could physically take anything Tony could do, which couldn’t be said about most of the pack.

“I brought you here to keep you out of trouble.”

“Then tell me, Stark: am I in trouble?”

Tony’s eyes narrowed. He surged forward threateningly, forcing Loki back until his legs hit a chair and he fell onto it. Loki’s eyes never left Tony’s collarbone. “I’m tired of your word games,” Tony snarled. “Your scent says one thing, your words another, your body something else entirely. Nothing ever matches up with you. Everything is a lie. I’m tired of having you around, of having everyone watch me like a time bomb, always hovering, and I’m fucking sick of missing them when they’re not here!” He slammed a hand down onto the table next to Loki, actually making the other man jump, and leaned in, looming over him. “I’m not going to let you, or this thing, or anyone else run my life. I don’t need it, I don’t need you, I don’t need anyone!”

Tony panted, breathing hard as he glared down at Loki. Everyone else could hear what was said and watch as Loki took the harsh abuse without fighting back. The submissive wolf just sat there at first, his eyes still down, saying nothing, his body lax to prevent himself from being seen as challenging. After a long moment, he lifted his eyes, looking up at Tony through his lashes. He turned his hands on his lap so that his palms were up, showing himself not as a threat, and he slowly leaned in. It looked like he was going to kiss Tony, and everyone was shocked when he did exactly that. Loki brushed his lips briefly against Tony’s chin, never taking his eyes off of him. When Tony didn’t move, his expression sliding into shock, Loki kissed him again, between his mouth and chin, then his tongue flicked out to touch Tony’s lower lip. He didn’t raise his head for a proper kiss, nor did he do more than light brushes and licks.

After a moment of stunned silence, where the two werewolves just looked at each other, Tony’s expression crumbled. He crawled onto Loki’s lap, wrapping his arms around his shoulders. He laid his chin on the top of Loki’s head, curling the other to him protectively. Loki made an unconscious whine and slid his arms around Tony as well, burrowing into the embrace.

“Jarvis,” Pepper said softly after watching for another few moments. “Please let us know if the fight begins again.”

“Certainly, Ms. Potts.”

She turned away, looking just as startled and confused as everyone else, but they just left the two alone, unsure what else to do. Neither Loki nor Tony mentioned it again, although there was a bit of awkwardness between them for a while, and everyone else considered it prudent to leave well enough alone. Even Clint thought it best not to snark at Loki for kissing Tony. But whenever Tony freaked out, panicking and raging over their predicament, Loki would go back to him, letting him rave, then soothe him again through submission.

Tony was not the only one who lost control, however. Loki had a firmer grip on his rage, but he was far more insane than Tony, and his situation was much less desirable. The first time he blew up was not long after Tony, his frustration over his own actions pushing him over the edge. He hated that he’d been so pathetic, licking at Tony’s mouth like a pup begging for scraps, trying to please his pack leader. It was so undignifying that his temper was short for days. Finally, one of Clint’s smirks pushed him overboard. Whether the smirk had been a taunt for him or not didn’t matter; his eyes bled to red and he darted forward suddenly. Fortunately everyone was around getting food. Even better, the bar was between Clint and Loki. Loki suddenly was crouching on the countertop, snarling. The temperature in the room plummeted, frost starting to leak over the granite from where Loki hunched. Clint had his back against the refrigerator, not moving a muscle as Loki’s body tensed to lunge.

Before he could attack, Tony moved between the two. Loki stilled, eyes focused hard on the other werewolf. Tony felt, for lack of a better word, large. His presence was undeniable, all eyes longing to be drawn to him despite the threat of the furious werewolf. He didn’t say anything, his eyes focused on the other werewolf. Loki let a soft growl trickle from his lips as he pressed himself closer to the countertop. The frost didn’t abate, but he also didn’t advance. Tony slowly stepped forward, making Loki tense and snarl, but Tony continued closer until barely a foot separated them. He reached up, causing Loki to bare his teeth threateningly, but simply caressed the dark hair.

“What’s wrong, Loki?” he asked softly, continuing to pet the Asgardian.

Loki wanted to jerk away. He wanted blood, something to end his frustrations, not this almost tender treatment. He tried to pull back, but Tony grasped him by the back of his neck. He applied soft pressure, making Loki snarl and writhe under his hold, but he continued to try and ease him down. Tony met Loki’s gaze, stilling the other wolf. They stared at each other for a long moment, expressions unreadable to the others. After several tense moments Loki began to fold under the pressure, eyes held by Tony, until the frost eased and he laid across the granite countertop of the bar. Tony closed the distance between them, petting his hair again and nuzzling him. Slowly, the tension bled out of Loki until he nearly purred blissfully, passive and calm under the soothing attention of his alpha.

Loki learned quickly that losing his patience with being submissive would simply result in a situation where he would have to be submissive again. Clint learned to carry a gun at all times.

It was an imperfect situation, and both often wished that they could be rid of the infection, but it worked more often than not. Loki never tried to hurt them (except for Clint, and even then it was more humiliating than painful) and they in turn gave him a place to belong while keeping an eye on him. It kept everyone safe and allowed Tony and Loki to try and repair the damage caused to them by the infection. It wasn’t perfect, but it worked.


End file.
